Always That Hero
by arch angel3
Summary: Lily Evans is just a poor kid with a sincere passion for romance and violence. Broken hearts, bloodied noses, and a whole lotta love affairs. Do read.
1. Pumpkin Pasties and Lovely Black Eyes

**~*Always That Hero*~  
  
*Chapter One*  
  
Pumpkin Pasties and Lovely Black Eyes  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
**Ah, so we return to the mystical world of Harry Potter... ^_____^ This, as you all may have noticed, is *actually* an MWPP ficcie! I'll bet you had that figured out, though.... Clever, clever girls and boys. And hermaphrodites, if you're out there. I've never been blessed with meeting one, but... that's beside the point. This is my rewrite of my last MWPP fic. ::sigh:: Yes, I'm writing the whole thing over again. I don't think I'll delete it, because a certain **BEENIE** won't let me. (Sigh – she's my gorgeous and talented beta reader) Well, cheers to her. It is my personal hope that this one will be a deal better, and more politically correct. I keep rewriting all of my stuff. Hehe. Some words of advice – don't get too attached. Lol.  
  
Credit to J.K. Rowling. I'm sure you probably hadn't realized this, but she wrote "_Harry Potter_". Whoo. Isn't that surprising? Well, you learn something new every day...  
  
P.S. – Yes, I realize that our dear Remus is not in this chapter. I'm planning a special entrance for him. ::misty eyes:: It's not because I don't love him... you lot should know that by now. Trust me. This is hurting me as much as it's hurting you. Poor Remus.... ::cuddles a remus plushie to her chest:: It's a real shame they don't make Marauder plushies... I can think of a certain little girl who would just have to start her own colleciton if they did....  
***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***  
  
"Oh, _god_, damn this whole _thing_!" Another wrong angle. Another bruise rising on her forehead. Another lot of people at the train station sending her disgusted, slightly concerned stares. She smiled sheepishly. "Er... um... this uh... trolley... is so hard to... maneuver... darn... it...." More stares. Her smile widened, gleaming green eyes shining with false innocence. Slowly, the pressing stares faded away to oblivion, and she was alone with her matters. She massaged her brow with her eyes clenched, surprised that blood hadn't been drawn. She'd only run into hard, solid metal about two times now.  
  
_"But how do I get there? There_ is_ no Platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross."  
  
"Well, of course there is, dearie!"  
  
"No... I'm positive... I've been there at least a thousand times... there's no Platform nine and three-quarters... nine and ten, yes, but nothing in between..."  
  
Amused laughter. Piercing, degrading laughter. "Ah, only to the Muggle eye. You've got to pass through the barrier between the stations."  
  
"Oh... well, then, thank you, ma'am! Thank you very much!"_  
  
'Yeah, thanks a lot, you old bat....' she muttered under her breath. She still had no idea of which side to take... well, of course she did now. She'd run into the other two. There was only one_ left_ to take. 'Curse my luck.' She pushed her cart in front of her, rearranging her bags and pulling the majority of them back on – they had been scattered across the stone on the previous crash. Then, bracing herself for the crush of fragile skin on cold steel, she ran. However, her calculations had indeed added up, and this time she didn't go sprawling. Her eyes now wide open, she watched, mesmerized, as another platform, nine and three-quarters, materialized before her. The shock of _not_ crashing into the barrier, though, was quite a nasty one for the girl, so naturally, she tripped over herself and went tumbling to the ground anyway, her bags flying. She put a hand instinctively to her head.  
  
Hmm. Well then. _Now_ there was blood.  
  
Meet Lily Evans.  
  
There wasn't anything... _unusually_ odd about her. Nor was there anything particularly unattractive. As far as physical appearances went, she certainly was easy on the eyes. Thick, glossy auburn hair (with the slightest wave, and tied in two neat plaits) rested gently across her shoulders, adorned with cream coloured ribbons. Though she had pale skin (the unfortunate cost of red hair) she had a very smooth complexion, lightly splashed with freckles, and large, deeply defined emerald eyes. They were perhaps the most fetching of her features.  
  
She might have been what one would call "lanky." She was rather thin, with long arms and legs, and large hands and feet, which - though slender and lovely - where far too big for her. It was the deepest, darkest desire of her heart to have small feet, but wishes are only that. Wishes. It was also a private hope that she would, in time, grow out of the flat chest which had blessed her all of her life. That, however, was simply an attribute of her vanity.  
  
Lily's strongest characteristics : vanity, hopeless romance, and violence. Hopelessness in the field of romance and puppy love is one of those things that all girls (and I'm sure you'll agree with me) have, at one time or another. Some go through 'that phase,' and others maintain their fascination with the opposite sex their whole life. Little miss Evans, though, was slightly torn, because she also had the strong tendency to be violent. That was the only..._ really_ unattractive thing about her.  
  
She would pour over little things that charmed her for hours, days, months, and obsess over them. If anything got in between the way of that simple obsession, she would turn to her ever trusty fist, and sometimes the long, nicely manicured nails that she kept in that state just for such a purpose. There was often dried blood under these nails. The pink enamel hid that surprisingly well. As a result, the poor child would only have a very select handful of friends. She was quite well mannered, and terribly polite, unless something went less than perfect. And, once you'd been struck across the face by Lily, you didn't have such a strong urge to be around her. Thus, her friends were - for the most part - older, stronger, or equally as spiteful. They were the only lot that could keep her in check, the only lot that could adore her charm without having to worry about spilling blood.  
  
There was a certain group of first years at Hogwarts that year that fit along those guidelines.  
  
This is their story.  
  
Lily held one finger to her bleeding lip, not really expecting it to stop, but putting it there out of instinct. With her free hand, she loaded her trunks back onto her cart, trying terribly hard not to cry or collapse; at the time, she couldn't decide which would be worse. There were a great deal of people on the platform, which was nice, as it distracted attention from her own misfortune. She did, however, long for someone to help her... lugging up twenty pound trunks with one hand is a feat not easily accomplished.  
  
"Excuse me – do you need a hand, Miss?" A boy with dark ebon hair, angular brown eyes like a cat, and a very wicked smile stood above her with a hand outstretched. Lily glanced up, a bit dumbstruck.  
  
"Why - I - well –" Her face flushed a little at the attention, but his grin only grew wider and more sinister.  
  
"Hmm?" He bent a little lower, still offering his hand. Lily smiled, and was just about to take it, when a tall girl with wavy blonde hair and a heavy scowl raced over and tackled the boy to the ground in a single movement.  
  
"God, Sirius, don't bother that poor girl, I've_ told_ you, there are actually people who don't_ like_ it...." The boy stood up, looking very disgruntled, gave her the finger, and stalked off. The blonde smiled, hands on her hips, looking very pleased with herself. She whirled around with a cheery grin towards Lily, and helped her heave the last of her bags back onto the cart. "I'm sorry, hon... he didn't hex you or anything, did he?"  
  
Lily didn't quite know what to think. "Er... no... he was just trying to help me."  
  
The girl scoffed, giggling softly. "That's what he said, hmm? Oh lord... Sirius Black, help a damsel in distress... oh! that'll be the day...." Lily was frowning now with a hint of dislike towards the girl. All the boy had done was offer to help her... and he was quite good looking, too... this girl, however, didn't seem to think that there was a chance that he would have given two cents on her account.  
  
"I'm sorry if I don't come off as the type Sirius Black would be willing to help," she muttered coldly.  
  
The girl's cinnamon eyes widened, and she shook her head, blonde waves bouncing at her shoulders. "Oh, no, honey, it's not _you_ or anything.... Sirius is the devil. He doesn't help _anyone_. Hell, he does just the opposite. You're lucky to be in one piece, quite frankly." She laughed again. "I'd know."  
  
"You know him?" Lily dusted off her skirt and heaved herself to her feet, now standing upright. The other nodded.  
  
"Sure I do. Not really a good thing, but we've met... both live in a relatively old wizarding village... quite small, really, but you do get to know everyone in the district." She sighed as she added the last sentence, a very negative note in her voice. Lily laughed.  
  
"Well, then, you've grown up in a wizarding environment, at least."  
  
"Yeah, I – ooh...." Her eyes became very round. "You're muggle born, then?"  
  
"Er... you mean..._ non_ wizarding?" The blonde nodded. "Then... yes." Lily had feared this bit of conversation since the moment that fateful letter had landed on her doorstop, revealing that the average, non-magic, unfortunate Lily Evans was, indeed, a witch. "That a bad thing?"  
  
"Oh, no, no." She shook her head. "It's not a bad thing at all. At least it puts you out of the running for Slytherin...."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Oh... nothing."  
  
Lily felt her curiosity building up inside of her, and she _was_ very tempted to pursue the subject, but a blinding flash of blue light suddenly filled the station, and she forgot immediately. She turned quickly to the blonde girl. They both nodded, and raced off in the direction of the light.  
  
Without much surprise, and rather as Lily had expected, there was the boy named Sirius Black, down on his knees laughing with tears of mirth in his eyes. It didn't take long to pinpoint what exactly he was laughing _at_. Standing above him, shouting strangled insults and swears, was a rather short, plump boy with pale, straw coloured hair. There was nothing extraordinary about him, except, of course, that protruding from the seat of his jeans was a very long - very bushy - tail.  
  
Lily and her acquaintance burst into laughter, as did the majority of the station. Parents scowled and clucked their tongues, but children were grabbing their ribs and shaking in fits.  
  
"Oh, I told you!" exclaimed the blonde, each word punctured by a shrill giggle. "Aren't you glad, now, that I saved you from the plague which is Sirius Black?"  
  
Laughing so hard that breathing was becoming a struggle, Lily responded, "Oh, god, yes! Though I think a tail would be rather flattering on me...." They both shared a smile, and then the girl extended a hand.  
  
"I'm Anne, by the way, hon. Anne Beaudair. I don't believe we've had a formal introduction."  
  
"Oh, of course." She smiled and took Anne's hand. "Lily Evans. And it's a pleasure to meet you, dear."  
  
Anne beamed, then stoop on tiptoe and pointed. "Oh! Do look! The train's here!" Lily whirled around. There it was...  
  
It really was beautiful. The train was a marvelous, elegant passenger train, a bright scarlet, with thick clouds of white smoke pouring out from it. It was the romantic sort of train that you might expect to find in the movies. Lily clasped her hands together and squealed. "It's absolutely precious!" Anne chuckled, shaking her head.  
  
"You go on ahead and board, Lily. Just – save me a seat, alright? I've got to go and get my luggage...." Lily smiled and agreed with a nod, watching as Anne disappeared into the crowd. She pushed her trolley over to the side of the train, where larger trunks were being loaded up, and gave a cheery wave to the man who took her bags. She slipped in a bright 'thank you,' then darted up the ramp and into the train, flitting down the aisle, trying to find herself an empty compartment. The third to the right was unoccupied, so she sat herself down next to the window and smoothed out her skirt with a feeling of contentment. Not one minute after she'd claimed the compartment, however, the door slid open, and a tall boy with dark hair and handsome grey eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses stood in the doorway.  
  
"Hmm... occupied, too... but there's only one girl in here... we'll fit... you don't mind, Sirius, do you?" he called over his shoulder. Lily glanced up, a bit red in the face, waving politely.  
  
"Eh... hello." The boy turned around quickly and smiled, nodding.  
  
"Hello. Don't mind if we share this compartment, do you? Are you saving it for anyone?"  
  
Lily tapped the seat next to her. "Well, this seat's reserved for a friend, but the row across from us is open... you're welcome to come in...." The boy grinned, pouring in and plopping down across from her. Sirius followed and sat himself next the his friend. Lily's eyes went wide.  
  
"Ooh... you're... that boy!" Sirius glanced at her for a moment with raised eyebrows, but his face gradually faded into a smile.  
  
"Oh, yes, you're that girl!" he responded cheerily. Lily laughed. The other boy cocked his brows.  
  
"You two have met, then, eh?" Sirius nodded.  
  
"Tried to help her up." He gave Lily a roughish wink which made her go brilliantly pink. "Got tackled by darling Annie before we'd had a proper little introduction, though."  
  
"Anne?" piped up Lily. "Yes, she's the one I'm saving this seat for!" Both of the boys went a little green.  
  
"Oh dear, you're one of _her_ friends?" asked the boy with glasses, his nose wrinkled. "I was hoping you'd be saving it for some nice, normal, pretty little girl, or something –"  
  
"I'm not a nice, pretty little girl?" teased Lily, prodding the boy in the chest. He flushed a tad.  
  
"Well, what I meant was –"  
  
The door slid open again. "Ah, Lily! I see you've saved me a – what the bloody –?" Anne looked horrified as her eyes shifted to Sirius and his raven-haired friend. "What are these two doing here?"  
  
"We're sitting," snapped Sirius lightly. "What does it look like we're doing?"  
  
She groaned, filling the vacant seat next to Lily. "Ooh, but do you_ have_ to sit_ here_?" Her glance slid to the boy beside of Sirius. "Hmm, see you've brought James along... oh, what a lovely little ride this is going to be...."  
  
"Oh but isn't it?" chuckled James, smiling cheekily at her.  
  
Lily pursed her lips, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "Really, Anne, _I _don't mind...."  
  
"That's only because you don't _know_ them," warned Anne with a knowing cluck of the tongue, waving her finger in her face. Lily shook her head, pushing Anne's hand out of her eyes.  
  
"They can't be all that bad, though, can they?"  
  
Anne gave Lily a look that made her feel very stupid. "Really, hon, Sirius just gave somebody a_ tail_ for Chrissakes...."  
  
"Oh, that's right!" interrupted James with an urgent look towards Sirius. "_Did_ you ever fix poor Peter's tail?" Sirius squirmed in his seat and grinned guiltily. The whole compartment heaved their shoulders. "Poor kid," muttered James with a shake of his head. "Probably still walking around with –"  
  
For the third time, the compartment door opened, but this time, very slightly. A boy stood in the doorway, looking very sweaty, and beckoning towards Sirius. "Sirius... I need... help...." Lily squinted her eyes, for she didn't recognize the face, but putting two and two together –  
  
She stood up and raced over to the door, grabbing the boy by his hands. "You're the one with the tail, aren't you?"  
  
He looked alarmed, trying to wriggle out of her grasp. "Well, yes, but I –"  
  
"Let us see!" demanded Lily, letting the door slide back a little farther and shoving him in.  
  
"I'd really rather –" he started, but the redheaded girl never gave him a chance to finish. With a well placed kick, she had him on the floor, his tail waving proudly in the air. Everyone let out another whoop of laughter except poor Peter, and of course, Lily, who was clutching the tail between her hands and fighting back tears.  
  
"It's so adorable –!"  
  
James rolled his eyes, standing up. "For the love of god, Lily, let the poor boy go...." Lily glared and pulled a face, still grabbing tightly onto the bushy brown tail. James pursed his lips, then spoke again. "I really, _really_ hate doing this to girls...." He stepped over to her, and in a very quick, very sharp movement, he kicked her in the shins. Relatively quickly, she released Peter, whose face was covered in painful tears.  
  
"That hurt, you moron!" she cried, hobbling back to her seat, fingers laced around her leg. James grinned and bowed.  
  
"You're welcome, miss." James and Sirius chuckled, though Anne looked as though she might be sick.  
  
She sent an apologetic glance at Lily, saying softly, "Lily, I'm so sorry... but I don't think I can manage this... you wanna go find another compartment? I've got to get out of here."  
  
Lily shook her head, still glaring at James. "No, no... I've still got things to sort out before I leave... I'll see you at Hogwarts, Anne...." She gave her a wave, and Anne returned it, but crept out of the compartment all the same. Peter raced over to Anne's seat and collapsed, his face very splotchy. Lily tried very hard not to laugh.  
  
"If you're going to fix him, fix him now, then," said Lily, her eyes on Sirius.  
  
"_Now_ you're willing to have it fixed?" growled Peter, his eyes slowly going back from red to white. Lily smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Yes... sorry, it's just that...."  
  
"You're an idiot?" finished Peter with a laugh. Lily glared for a moment, but gradually began laughing herself, feeling very sorry for Peter as Sirius sent another wave of blue light through the compartment. The tail was gone, though there was a rather unattractive hole now through his jeans. The others chose not to mention this to Peter. They had to have _some_ fun with him.  
  
As Peter slid onto his seat upright, and they all sat facing each other, each a bit red and a bit flustered, Lily seized the moment as an opportune introduction. "I'm Lily Evans, by the way...." She put her head down. "It's just that, if any of you feel like hexing me right about now, you might as well know my name...."  
  
James laughed, shaking her hand. "No... you were good for a kick, but that was about it... no hexes... not today, anyway. We'll see what tomorrow has in store." Sirius and him exchanged glances for a split second, but James returned his glance back to her. "I'm James Potter."  
  
Sirius groaned, as the ball was passed to him. "Oh, do I_ really_ have to do this? Is there anyone on this train who _doesn't_ know my name?" Realizing that there probably _wasn't_ anyone who didn't have an awareness of Sirius Black, the others coughed, but coaxed him to introduce himself formally besides. Crossing his arms and pulling a face, he muttered blandly, "Sirius Black, at your service." Lily grinned, gently tapping his arm.  
  
"See? Wasn't that bad, was it?"  
  
Sirius was tempted to snap back something nasty, but couldn't quite bring himself to it. She was a girl, after all, and he couldn't resist giving her a smile, which once again sent a pink blush to her cheeks. That was some consolation, anyway.  
  
Eyes turned next to Peter. He cleared his throat, eyes blue and no longer bloodshot, and said in a now calm voice, "Peter Pettigrew." Then he gave them all a very toothy grin which made him look about five years younger, rather adorable, and caused Lily to instantly fall in love with him.  
  
"Well, that's quaint," sighed Lily. "I'm guessing, of course, that you three have met _before_ this darling little gathering on the train?"  
  
Peter nodded. "Mm hmm. Went to the same boarding school."  
  
"Boarding school!?" shrieked Lily. "So young?"  
  
James chuckled. "Mums' wanted a basic intelligence education, before we shipped off for one in wizardry. Tons o' wizarding families do it."  
  
Lily pressed a slim finger to her lips. "I never really thought about it...."  
  
"Well, of course you didn't," piped Sirius. "You're not half so clever as us."  
  
"Is that so?" laughed Lily, about to get up and - perhaps - hit him upside the head, but the whole compartment silenced and stilled with a pretty voice from the doorway.  
  
"Sweets, anyone?"  
  
The whole lot of them glanced up at the young lady, a trolley full of candies, chocolates and pasties propping open the glass panel door. Each one pulled out a handful of coins from their pockets and piled up against the trolley, grabbing paper cartons and brightly coloured wrappers filled with a cherry-flavoured something. The woman looked quite overwhelmed.  
  
-  
  
The train rolled to a stop, and the laughter in the small compartment came to an abrupt stop as well. They all sent urgent glances to each other as a sharp voice filtered - magically magnified - through the train. "_The train has arrived at Hogwarts... please mind to exit the train through the doors located to the far left or right, your luggage will be taken up to the castle separately. First years will care to follow the gamekeeper to the lake where they will be taken to the castle separately as well_ ." There was a large commotion as each compartment burst open and students piled out into the aisles, pushing and shoving to get out to the castle's grounds. The four in _this_ particular compartment, however, had one more thing to wrap up. Each shoved the remainder of their sweets into their mouths, crumpling up balls of cellophane and tin foil wrappers and stuffing them into their pockets. James, however, had spent a considerable amount more than the rest, and was struggling with the prospect of finishing nearly twenty sweets within one minute.  
  
Lily stood up, wiping her mouth on her robe sleeve and staring at James. "I think you have too many to finish...." James looked up with his eyebrows raised.  
  
"Dun 'oo fink I _know_ dat?" he retorted, with much difficulty, as he had just attempted to stuff two chocolate frogs and an entire carton on _Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans_ into his mouth at once. Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"Maybe if you weren't such a pig –"  
  
James sent her a dark glance, and tried to say something, but a couple of the jelly beans rolled out of his open mouth, and he lost interest. Lily laughed, shaking her head, picking up a few of his cartons. James slapped her hand away, but jerking her hand away to nurse the injury, she barked savagely, "I'm only trying to help! At least let me carry some of your sweets for you. I feel sorry for you, so pitiful looking, with candies rolling out of you mouth...." Then, with a smile, and just for the general hell of it, she added tartly, "Pig." James pursed his lips, but let her stuff some of his goods into her pockets. Sirius smiled at them from the open doorway.  
  
"Peter's already left... he'll wait for us, but you two had better hurry up. Are you planning on coming any time this week?" James held up a finger, stuffing a wad of chewing gum into his bulging cheeks, and stood up, following Lily out of the compartment and out of the train. Their delay had thinned out the crowd in the aisle.  
  
Peter waved good-naturedly at them, on tiptoe, bathed in pale moonlight, the only light in the pitch blackness of night, aside from the occasional lantern-baring staff member. Sirius jumped off of the train, clapping his shoulder. "Good boy." Lily and James followed, James still choking down one of the chocolates.  
  
The four made their way quietly to the lake behind a massive, very shaggy man carrying a great torch, obediently lining up behind the mass of other first years, listening patiently. Well, to a degree. Two of them were, anyways. Sirius was fidgeting, amusing himself for the present by blessing the black haired boy in front of him with a tail identical to the one Peter had worn hours before. Lily paled. James wasn't being especially patient, either. Then again, one finds it often hard to do_ anythin_ g when each breath tastes strangely like chocolate... and, occasionally, vomit. Oh, the marvel of Every Flavour Beans.  
  
"Four ter a boat," roared the deep voice towering above their heads. "Move i' along, we dun have all day...." There was a frenzy as everyone turned with a rush of excitement towards the shore of the glassy black lake.  
  
"I can't see," whined Lily, crossing her arms, trying to get a better view. She punched Sirius lightly on the arm. "What's this all about?" Sirius shrugged.  
  
"Dunno."  
  
Lily groaned. "I meant for you to _look_, genius."  
  
Sirius gave her a charming smile, somehow managing to look dreadfully conniving. "Mmm... no."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty please with a mound of whipped cream on top?"  
  
"I _detest_ whipped cream," annunciated Sirius, striking a very dignified pose. Lily put her head in her hands. Peter cried out.  
  
"Ooh, look there!" The four cast their gaze out onto the lake – apparently the boats were resting along the bank of the lake, and were all filled with students. Across the lake was another shore, much more well kempt than the one they stood on, and beyond that –  
  
"Hogwarts!" sighed Lily, taking in every bit of romance in the atmosphere with utmost delectation. Sirius pushed them all back, grabbing a vacant boat, Peter and James following in sequential order. Lily trod daintily over to the boat, smiling at them all. James groaned. Lily laughed.  
  
"Don't you dare pull that bull shit on_ me_, Potter," she warned with a lovely grin. "I've got a pocketful of your sweets, and who knows... I might get hungry on the trip to the castle...." She cast her eyes about with an innocent gaze, trying to fight down the laugh in her throat. James pouted, his cheeks still full. Lily giggled, crawling into the boat behind him.  
  
"'Un three, then! An' watch fer the giant squid! He wun do yeh no harm, but the creature ain't docile, neither," boomed the voice ahead, the man who carried it now sitting in a boat to himself, ahead of the rest. "Un... two... three...!"  
  
The boats set off magically without assistance from the children inside. This was probably a good thing, as most first years didn't have any experience with boating, and there most likely would have been a horde of boats spinning about in circles for hours until they were finally swallowed by the sea monster residing in the lake out of pity. And, though I'm sure there are those few sadistic minds who would take great pleasure in reeling around the entire night on a lake with the threat of a giant squid, our heroes were not that sort.  
  
Lily beamed at her reflection in the smooth surface of the water, rippling as her fingers slid across it. She allowed herself another smile, the moonlight reflecting off of the lake dancing across her face. "Isn't this lovely?" she commented aloud to no one in particular. James turned around at her words, swallowing.  
  
"Gorgeous. Pass me a Pumpkin Pasty, would you?" Lily chuckled, reaching into her pocket for a pastry and handing it up to James.  
  
"You're pitiful. This whole place has romance written all over it, and all you can think of is your stomach."  
  
"No," he corrected her. "All I can think of are those lovely pasties in your pockets." Lily let out another laugh.  
  
"Dear, dear, you almost sound like you're hitting on me...!"  
  
James smiled. "Oh, alright, _now_ who's being boyish?"  
  
"What are you telling _me_ for? _You_ should be less."  
  
"Boyish?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And how do you propose I do this, Lily, darling?"  
  
"Well, I suppose you could be more_ girlish_."  
  
"Girlish, eh?"  
  
"Of course. You could start by appreciating the beauty of simple things –"  
  
"Like silence?" James sniggered. Lily slapped him.  
  
"I'm serious."  
  
"No, _he's_ Sirius," tsked James, pointing. "You're Lily."  
  
"Oh, for the love of god.... I forget what we were even talking about...."  
  
"Teaching me to be girlish?"  
  
"Oh yes. Appreciation... lesson one."  
  
"Ooh, multi-course, sounds like fun...."  
  
Lily ignored him. "Well, you could start appreciating other people's_ feelings_... especially girls'. That includes me, by the way."  
  
"Ah, so _that's_ what you are, is it now?"  
  
"Hmm, I believe so."  
  
"Well then, that's excellent!"  
  
"How so?"  
  
"We can learn to be girlish _together_!"  
  
"Sounds like fun."  
  
"Oh, it will be! We'll get up early to go shoe shopping tomorrow. I could use a pair of heels...."  
  
Lily couldn't help but snort. "Really? You're into cross dressing, are you?"  
  
James nodded gravely, keeping his face solemn, which was quite a feat. "You don't believe it?"  
  
"Not quite."  
  
"Don't think I have the class?"  
  
"Don't think you have the breasts," she sniggered. James gasped, putting his hand to his mouth, a mock look of indignation on his face.  
  
"Well! I think our conversation is over, if that's the attitude you're going to sport." He crossed his arms, taking a great bite out of his Pumpkin Pasty, and scooted back into his prior position.  
  
"Watch it!" warned Peter as the boat shifted. "Don't do that, we might tip, I dunno how sturdy this thing is...."  
  
"You're such a worry wart!" laughed Sirius. "He's not _that_ –" But what he _was _wasn't found out, because the boat jerked violently again. "What the –?"  
  
"It's the squid!" cried a girl from a boat ahead of them. And so it was. A long tentacle extended out of the water, but it vanished quickly, creating a large wake on the surface of the water. Sirius' eyes went very wide and sparkled evilly.  
  
"Quick, someone, gimme a rock, or something...."  
  
"We're in the middle of a_ lake_, Sirius," drawled James. "Where do you expect us to come up with a rock?" Sirius bit his lip.  
  
"Good point... hmm... sorry, James," he apologized as he bent around Peter and snatched up his pasty. James cried out in surprise.  
  
"Hey, give that back, I was –" but he stopped arguing. Sirius had tossed the sweet out into the water, and the giant tentacle had reappeared to snatch it up. Sirius got to his knees, bending over the side of the boat, tilting it to one side.  
  
"Wicked," he muttered, dark brown eyes gleaming with boyish intrigue. "It's so – oh, no! No! It's leaving! Something else! Something good, something hard, something – ah!" His eyes now glittering so wickedly that they were hardly human any more, he grabbed James' wand and launched it out without thinking.  
  
James was dumbstruck. "My - my - my wand...." Sirius' grin wore off as he realized what he had done.  
  
"Er... oops?" he offered.  
  
James glared poisonously, then, with only a moment's hesitation, he dove into the icy depths of the water after the rapidly sinking strip of wood.  
  
"_JAMES_!" screamed Lily, clasping onto the side of the boat, her fingernails digging into the wood. "_JAMES_!" Sirius flashed her a nasty smile.  
  
"Going to go after him and save your him, are you?"  
  
Lily blanched. The thought had actually been circulating through her mind. It was pushed out now, naturally. "Of - of course not."  
  
Sirius sighed. "Well, don't blame _me_ if he drowns," he spoke calmly, sliding sideways, propping his feet over one side and crossing his arms behind his head on the other. Lily glared at him. She was worried about James, though... that was just in her nature. His head had disappeared under the lake quite a while ago... she was beginning to wonder if....  
  
"I've got it!" roared James, treading on the surface, wand in one hand, glasses in the other. "Sirius, you bloody bastard, I've got it!" He swam over to the boat, beaming, though strangely lopsided, as he was only using his right arm to swim (in his left was collected his wand and glasses). He grabbed onto the boat side and heaved himself up halfway, dripping water all over the three dry ones.  
  
"James!" beamed Lily, smiling very broadly. "Ooh, I thought for sure that you'd –" but she was silenced with a wink from Sirius. She fidgeted, trying to wipe her smile away. "You're back."  
  
James laughed, sliding his glasses back on, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a handful of soggy breads, creams and chocolates, so badly mixed that nothing was distinguishable. "There goes about ten sickles." Lily began to laugh uncontrollably. James gave her a lopsided grin.  
  
"Think it's funny, do you? Well, you know, I've still got the other half to account for...." He gave her an evil look to match Sirius'. Lily went pale, shutting up.  
  
"Oh, no, James, you _wouldn't_, you _couldn't_ , you just _couldn't_..." she pleaded, but it wasn't convincing enough for him. His body weight still supported on one side of the boat, he pushed with his feet against the base, pulling down with his upper body.  
  
"Oops." A nasty smile from James. Lily was screaming. Peter was crying. Sirius was laughing.  
  
There was a great splash, and the boat capsized on the lot of them, knocking Lily on the head.  
  
"Dammit!" she managed through her tears and choked sobs. Sirius and James were in hysterics. Lily was fuming. "Oh, curse you James Potter!" He smiled cheekily, squirting out a stream of water in her face.  
  
Needless to say, she wasn't amused.  
  
"Lord, James," began Peter in a very high pitched voice. "How are we supposed to get this thing upright, eh?"  
  
"We can't," muttered Lily darkly. "It's moving by magic, there's no way we could get a hold of it long enough to flip it. We'll just –"  
  
"– ride it?" squeaked Peter. "No way. There's got to be another way. There's _got_ to be a way to flip this thing over...."  
  
-  
  
Peter scowled, wiping his damp hair off of his heavily bruised forehead. "I cannot _believe_ that this freaking thing couldn't be flipped over."  
  
James crossed his legs, smiling despite a shiner below his left eye. "Well, we tried, that's what counts."  
  
Lily gave a dry, racking laugh. "We tried! Oh, lord, hear that? We tried! What else does it matter than that we've _tried_ ?"  
  
"My point exactly!" grinned James, putting an arm around her, then deciding to go the whole nine yards and making fawn eyes at her.  
  
"You're not terribly comfortable _or_ attractive, sopping wet."  
  
James attempted Sirius' handsome wink and smile, failing quite miserably. "You know you like it. Don't lie to yourself."  
  
Peter laughed. "I don't think she's lying to anyone." James poked his tongue out.  
  
The only one who was remotely quiet, was, miraculously, Sirius. Lily glanced at his grief stricken face, feeling concerned, and wriggled free of James' reach, putting her arm across Sirius' shoulders. "What's wrong, Sirius? You're the only one of us who's not sporting a black eye, you know." She grimaced slightly. She'd been hit in the head by that accursed boat four times. Beauty may be pain, but pain sure as hell ain't beauty.  
  
"It's not that," muttered Sirius, his chin resting on his knees, his feet dangling in the water carelessly.  
  
"What is it, then?" she prompted warmly, tightening her grip on Sirius. He gave her a wary glance, his lips curling in a very slight smile, patting her hand, his eyes shrouded.  
  
"We let that damned squid get away."  
  
-  
  
"Anne!" cried Lily, catching a glimpse of her hovering near the doorway of Hogwarts' Great Hall. Anne looked up quickly, smiling.  
  
"Oh, Lily – good heavens – you're soaking! And your eye... what on earth happened to you?"  
  
Lily grinned sheepishly, her hands behind her back, shifting her weight. "You heard that one boat capsizing, didn't you?" Anne nodded. "That was us." Anne laughed out loud.  
  
"Oh, you poor, poor thing. Another piece of work by Sirius?"  
  
"No," she corrected her. "James, actually."  
  
Anne's brows raised, but she smiled all the same. "Well, you know, they're practically inseparable as it is, James is nearly as bad as Sirius, anyway. Can't believe he _did_ that to you, though...." She shook her head. "Having to look like that on your_ first day_... that's pitiful." Lily glared. Anne coughed. "Well, I mean, you look lovely anyway, it's just that –"  
  
Lily stopped her, a fit of giggles overcome her. "Shut up, Anne."  
  
"Can do. Ooh, look, the man of the hour!" She got up on the balls of her feet, waving madly. "James! Hey, Potter! Get your ass over here!" James picked his head up at the mention of his name, sighting Anne and trying to slink out of view. Anne pouted her lower lip. "Pussy." She turned to Lily. "Shall we see them off?" she said politely with a wicked grin.  
  
Lily nodded elegantly. "Yes, I believe so." They darted off to find James, Sirius and Peter trying to escape into the Great Hall. Anne grabbed James and Sirius by the neck of their robes, hissing down their backs.  
  
"Tut tut. We can't go in yet. We're ickle firsties, 'member?" James and Sirius whirled around, looking very peevish.  
  
"What do you_ want_?" asked Sirius hopelessly with a great heave of his shoulders. Anne grinned.  
  
"Isn't it enough that I want to be in your company?" She widened her eyes innocently. James snorted.  
  
"Really, Anne...."  
  
She let go of their sopping robes and clasped her hands together, looking intently at James. "What on earth did you do to capsize your poor little boat?" James laughed haughtily.  
  
"What did_ I_ do? I think the proper question would be : what did_ Sirius_ do?" James ran a hand through his dripping hair, with a charming grin towards Sirius. Anne turned to look at him as well, chuckling.  
  
"I _knew_ you had some part to play in this, Black." Sirius scoffed.  
  
"I didn't _mean_ to do anything –"  
  
"But what _did_ you do?" persisted Anne, looking dreadfully curious. Peter chortled.  
  
"He chucked James' wand out into the water to attract the squid. Dunno if he thought it was gonna _eat_ it, or what... I don't pretend to comprehend Sirius' actions." Sirius beamed. Anne's eyes went wide.  
  
"His _wand_? Oh, poor Jamsie, do you – ?"  
  
"I've got it," finished James, smiling, pulling it out of his pocket, though it was nicely coated in something wet, soggy, and orange. It was dripping all over the floor. Anne drew back quickly.  
  
"Dear lord!" she screamed. "What - what_ is_ that?!"  
  
James picked a little of it off, put it in his mouth, and smirked. "Pumpkin Pasty." He held some of it out, still seeping through his fingers. "Want some?"  
  
Anne looked a little green.  
  
-  
  
"The Sorting will begin momentarily... first years, please follow me into the Great Hall," voiced a young witch strictly. She was rather pretty, with her dark hair swept into a neat bun... she couldn't have been more than thirty... she had stern eyes, though. They were cold. Lily didn't like her eyes. The group of first years trailed behind her into the Great Hall, which was equally as beautiful as the grounds of the castle. It had an ancient architectural design, which made it look very elegant, and it glowed with golden light, flooded by hundreds upon hundreds of tapered candles floating above their heads in midair.  
  
Lily elbowed James in the back.  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"What do you want now?"  
  
"What's the Sorting?"  
  
"That witch just told us... we're getting divided up into one of the four houses... she just explained this to us... don't you ever listen?" (This comment was actually quite comical, coming from James Potter.)  
  
"Of course I was listening," snapped Lily irritably. "I mean, what_ is _the Sorting?"  
  
James gave her a quizzical stare.  
  
"The process, idiot."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Well?"  
  
James shrugged. "Beats me." Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You're oh-so-welcome."  
  
-  
  
The school erupted into applause. The hat gave them what might have been a smile (if hats could smile, anyway). Lily let out a shrill whistle, grinning broadly. "Ooh, that was lovely!"  
  
"The hat?" asked Sirius, smirking. Lily flicked him.  
  
"You know what I meant."  
  
The hall silenced as the young witch rose her hand in the air, her other pressing a finger to her lips. She snapped her fingers, and a flowing list of parchment appeared in her hand. She adjusted her glasses and ticked names off of the list.  
  
"Avery, Christov!" A tall, well built boy strode up to the stool, and was instructed to try on the hat. He sat, the hat sliding over his ears.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" it roared out. There was a raucous applause from the Slytherin Table, set underneath a flag of brilliant green, illustrating a silver serpent. The boy's yellow, feline eyes flashed triumphantly, and he trotted off to the table.  
  
"Beaudair, Anne!" Lily and the three boys turned to Anne. She was a little pale, but didn't seem all too nervous. She just smiled and clapped Sirius on the shoulder.  
  
"Whatever house I get myself in, don't you follow me, Black."  
  
Sirius gave her a toothy grin. "Don't worry, I will." Anne shook her head with a slight smile, then walked up to the stool, fitting the hat on her head.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Anne ripped off the hat, eyes bright, racing over to the table set beneath a scarlet banner bearing a golden lion, which was mad with applause. She winked at Lily from her seat.  
  
"Black, Sirius!" Sirius gave them all a grave nod, forced his lips into a thin line, and made quite a dramatic scene of the whole thing. He approached the hat, and lifted it up, but he didn't immediately put it on. First, he busied himself with knocking the dirt off of the hat. After the minute it took him to do this, he set himself to adjusting the stool's height. He never did seem to get it just right. After two minutes, the witch with the list got impatient and stalked out to him, knocked him on the head and shoved the hat on him herself, forcing him onto the stool. A few students laughed. The witch was bright red.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Sirius tore off the hat, giving them all a great bow, then tramped off to the Gryffindor Table. Anne wasn't clapping. Sirius chose the seat next to her and put his arm around her. He gave Lily a wink as well. Anne had her head in her hands. Lily laughed.  
  
"Is he _always_ like that?" she asked. Peter nodded, laughing himself.  
  
"Aye. I'd know... spent five years in school with him...." He shook his head. "He gave one of the professors a heart attack once." James chuckled.  
  
"Yes... I remember that... ooh, that was fun. Thought he was going to get expelled, he did. Really, surprising that he didn't... but he's got two more years here. Honestly, if he doesn't get himself expelled, he might hang himself."  
  
Lily let out another giggle, and was about to add a comment when her name was called.  
  
"Evans, Lily!"  
  
She skipped up, trying not to make as much show as Sirius, but politely tugging on the hat and sitting herself on the stool with her fingers laced in her lap. Sirius had raised the stool a considerable bit, so it was now quite uncomfortable.  
  
_Gryffindor_, _Gryffindor_, _Gryffindor_ .... she thought, pleading subconsciously. Then, remembering that she almost never got what she wanted, but rather the opposite, she tried a different tactic. _Slytherin_, _Slytherin_, _Slytherin_....  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Lily laughed to herself, trying to stifle the sound, setting the hat back down on it's stool and dancing over to the Gryffindor table, seating herself across from Anne. She looked very bad-tempered, as though she had just swallowed something very sour. Either that, or as though she had Sirius' arm around her. Lily figured it was probably the second.  
  
"He followed me," mumbled Anne to Lily, sulkily. "Don't you just _know_ that he followed me?"  
  
Sirius laughed. "Don't be so touchy. It's going to be_ great_, it is. You'll get to spend every day with me, attend every class with me...." Anne went an ugly puce. Lily was beside herself.  
  
"You've got _me_, haven't you?" Anne smiled weakly.  
  
"Sure. But if Sirius is here, you know that James and Peter are gonna show up next... and then... life is over...." Lily rolled her eyes, lips parted in smile. However, after about ten more students were Sorted, James and Peter _did_ show up... Peter shortly behind James.  
  
"We're here!" cried James, linking arms with Peter, plopping down beside of Lily, flecks of water flying up from his drenched robes. He cast a look at Anne, sneering. "Don't look too thrilled."  
  
"Oh," apologized Anne. "Sorry. I didn't mean to... I meant to look completely and utterly _disgusted_."  
  
James sniggered. "You must be great fun to have around at a housewarming party. Hmm... I think I'll invite you to mine...."  
  
"Are you kidding?" retched Anne. "I've got to spend the next seven years with all three of you! God _forbid_ I live that long...!"  
  
Lily patted her comfortingly from across the table, dripping water on the white linen, beaming, her black eye shining. "Think of it as a camp."  
  
"A concentration camp?" All four chuckled, but soon, they weren't alone, as the whole room burst into hysterics.  
  
"What's this all about?" roared the dark-haired witch, her cheeks blotched. 'Snape, Severus' had just been called to the stage, and curling up from beneath his robes, was a very familiar, bushy brown tail. The staff was in a rage, and the greasy-haired boy named Severus was fuming as well. Apparently, he had not noticed the tail until the hall had so kindly pointed it out to him. His sallow cheeks were flushed with colour, and a few staff members rushed up to aid him.  
  
Lily stared at Sirius. "I thought you got _rid_ of it before we set into the boats?"  
  
Sirius shook his head, beaming with false innocence. Anne was impatient again. "_You_ did this? Don't you ever let_ up_ ?!"  
  
Sirius laughed, shook his head again, and bent over to kiss her on the cheek. "Let's see.... erm.... nope."  
  
Anne was struggling very hard to fight back tears.  
  
***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
**Read and review, my pretties! If I had your addresses, I'd pay you for it!  
  
((and, for those whose addresses I actually** DO** have.... know that I'm not paying you. but i can threaten you quite nicely))  
  
Ciao, Sayoonara, and G'bye in another language that I dunno!  
  
~**A R C H A N G E L****  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***  



	2. Loony Loopy Lupin... Shake Before Servin...

**_~*Always That Hero*~_****__**

**_ *Chapter Two*_**   
****   
**_Loony Loopy Lupin... Shake Before Serving_**

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*   
Hmm. I'm sure you can all guess what this chapter is going to hold in store. REMUS REMUS AND EVEN MORE   
REMUS! Well, actually, it doesn't. ::gasp:: What was that? Yes, I just said it. There's actually not that much   
Remus. Well, by my standards. ((unless the whole chapter's about Remus it doesn't satisfy me ^^)) But he does   
make his introduction. Isn't that _something_? Ah, it's good to have him back. 

Now it's time for some ego bashing! As we all know, I didn't write Harry Potter. I didn't make up these characters.   
I am just not that creative. I know that. You know that. And even if I don't say it, you can't sue me, because I'm   
not making any money. Touche, arch angel, touche.   
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* 

"Perfect." 

"Pardon, but what's perfect?" asked James, looking up distractedly from his cereal at Lily,   
accidentally spooning some milk into Peter's lap. Peter groaned, grabbing James' napkin and   
trying to wipe it up before it stained his robes. James flushed. "Oops." He turned back to Lily.   
"What's perfect?" 

Lily looked up at him, great purple circles under her eyes (plus the added bonus of the   
black eye), smiling very oddly. It was... almost... scary. It was a happy smile, but that sort of I-   
didn't-get-enough-sleep-to-actually-remember-what-happy-is happy smile. It was unnerving. Lily   
pushed her plate in front of James. 

"It's... toast." 

"I know," said Lily, taking her plate back. "And it's buttered." 

"Erm...." 

"It's _perfectly _buttered." 

James looked concerned. "Did you get enough sleep last night?" Lily looked to be in deep   
thought. 

"I can't remember... I just remember... snores. I think Anne has a cold. Or maybe she just   
snores. You know... without the cold. Some people do. Though I imagine if you snore regularly,   
having a cold would make you snore even louder. Or rougher. Ha. Ha ha. Rougher. _Can_ you   
snore _rougher_? I don't think –" 

"Lily," interrupted James. "Stop. I think you need some sleep." 

"Oh _no_, I couldn't!" cried Lily, her tired face now looking scandalized. "We have   
Transfiguration in an hour... it's the first class of the year... I want to make a good impression!   
Besides, Sirius told me –" She stopped mid-sentence. "Where _is_ Sirius?" 

Peter laughed, a fine stream of orange-aide trickling down his chin. "You've got the   
attention span of a rodent, Lily." Lily poked her tongue out. 

"I'm serious," she said sternly. James laughed. Lily rolled her eyes. "No pun intended." 

"I think he's still up in the dormitory. He's not much of a morning person." 

Lily smiled, clapping her hands together. "Really? Neither am I!" 

"I'd never have guessed...." 

"We ought to go get him up, though, don't you think?" suggested Peter. "Lily's right...   
mildly insane at the moment, but right. Class starts in less than an hour. He's not going to be   
ready. Let's go." 

James looked at Peter as though he were mad. "You'd dare approach Sirius when asleep?   
Are you mental? He might – bite your arm off, or something!" Lily looked up, grinning. 

"Sounds like a challenge. Let's go, Peter!" Her tiredness was apparently wearing off, as   
she jolted out of her seat, (though her eyes were still rather puffy), grabbing Peter and dashing off   
out of the doors of the Great Hall. Peter looked terrified. James sighed, then heaved himself up   
and darted after them. 

"I can't let him _hurt _her...." Then he, too, disappeared from sight. 

Lily's perfectly buttered toast was forgotten. 

- 

"He doesn't look like he's waking up...." 

"Shall we poke him s'more, then?" 

"Yes, I think so." 

Sirius was looking absolutely pathetic. His mouth was open, and saliva was pooling at his   
chin. Lily though this made him look terribly sweet. James thought it made him look terribly   
disgusting. Peter just poked without argument. 

"This isn't working. We really ought to give this up...." 

"Are you kidding? I'm having the time of my life!" Lily exclaimed sarcastically. She didn't   
stop poking him, though. James raised an eyebrow. 

"Lily... if you're going to be sarcastic, at least do it properly." 

"Oh... right." She still hadn't stopped. 

"Lily...." 

"Oh." She drew her hand away quickly. James rolled his eyes. Sirius grunted. 

"I think he's waking up!" cried Peter, clasping his hands together, waiting. Sirius creased   
his brow, looking troubled. His hand shot out, poking Lily in the eye. She screamed. Sirius' eyes   
fluttered open. 

"Huh?" he asked vaguely. "What the –?" His eyes focused on Lily, and then became very   
wide. "Lily! You're not supposed to be up here!" 

Lily beamed. "Boo." 

He clutched up his sheets, trying to hide himself from view. He turned pleading eyes to   
James and Peter. James scoffed. 

"That's the price of laziness, Sirius," sneered James. Sirius pulled a face. 

"You're going to be late to class if you don't hurry it up," added Peter seriously. "So get."   
Sirius glanced at Lily with his nose wrinkled up. 

"_You_ get out first," he barked at her. She rolled her eyes. 

"Oh, honestly, Sirius, I've never seen such a pussy in all my life. Just get up and scoot off   
to the bathrooms." 

"But I –" 

"_Really_," pressed Lily, now impatient. "I'm not going to laugh at your pajamas. Just grab   
your robes and go change!" 

"But I –" 

Lily didn't wait for him to finish. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of bed, smiling   
at her own success. Her smile was quickly wiped, though, because Sirius _wasn't _wearing pajamas. 

Sirius prefers boxers. 

With hearts. 

Lily's cheeks began to burn, and soon her whole face was a violent red. She turned away   
very quickly, trying to hide her flaming face. She shielded her eyes from the rest of them, which   
were suddenly quite teary, and gushed quickly, "I – er – I think it might be best if I – just went   
down – to – to finish my breakfast – alone –" Then she turned on her heel and ran, tripping on the   
stairs and tumbling the rest of the way down. The three boys' eyes were glued on the door. Then   
gazes were turned back to Sirius. 

"She seems to do that a lot when she's around you," James commented, sniggering at   
Sirius' boxers. 

Sirius eyed himself in the mirror by his bedside, smiling widely. "Yeah.... She's a real   
brick." 

- 

The four of them were now sitting in the Transfiguration classroom. Lily was squashed in   
between Peter and James, making absolutely sure that she wasn't next to Sirius. Sirius was next to   
James. Next to Sirius was, coincidentally, Severus Snape. Gryffindors and Slytherins had   
Transfiguration together. This class didn't have much potential in Lily's eyes, because, for one, it   
was very distracting with Sirius and Severus swearing at each other under their breath the whole   
time. Sirius was winning, though. Lily noticed that Severus had built a wall out of his school   
supplies around his chair, a defensive against any future tails, for instance. 

Professor McGonagall was at the head of the class, looking almost exactly the same as she   
had when she had first made her introduction at the Sorting. Except that now she looked much   
more menacing, with a chalkboard full of assignments behind her, and a pile of pins on each   
persons desk. There was a smile on her thin lips, and her eyes were flashing. Lily really, _really_   
didn't like those eyes. 

The classroom was now busy with students trying to turn their pins into needles, which   
had sounded very easy at first. A few students still didn't know the difference between them.   
However, it was only their first day, and the exercise was, for the most part, an experiment, for   
the lot of them to get used to their wands, and their spell books. 

"I don't get it," sighed Lily. "What's the_ point_ of this? If we popped the balls off the tips,   
they _would _be needles...." 

"No, they wouldn't," James said quickly, a pile of needles already started on his desk.   
"They'd be useless pins." 

"Yeah, but do you think McGonagall could tell the difference?" 

James laughed, handing her a small amount of needles. "Here. Gimme some of your pins.   
You can take these. Then at least it looks as if you're not _completely_ hopeless." 

"I'm not hopeless!" insisted Lily, but she took the needles. "Thank you." 

"Hey, no problem," he said with a smile, the pins he had taken from Lily already needles,   
and added to his pile. 

Peter, poor dear, was having no such luck. He couldn't Transfigure_ any _of his pins, and   
didn't have James to help him. He had to resort to stealing needles from the Slytherin girl beside   
of him. The third time he reached out, she caught him, and in mild surprise, threw a few pins at   
him. Peter screamed loudly, working a few pins out of his arm. 

"RAYE!" 

"It wasn't my fault, Professor! That little twit was stealing my needles!" 

McGonagall turned on Peter. 

"Mr. Pettigrew...." 

Peter sulked, crossing his arms, breathing heavily through his nose. "She threw pins at   
me...." Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes, adjusted her glasses, and went back to her seat.   
Peter poked his tongue out at the girl, who flicked him off in response. 

Sirius was getting bored of Severus. If there wasn't any actual spell-casting, or anything   
he could do to physically mutilate him, the fun wore off. His eyes kept drooping, and he looked   
very out of focus. Snape decided not to push it. He was waiting patiently for Sirius to fall asleep.   
The moment Sirius' eyes shut and his head dropped to his desk, Snape's hand shot straight up   
into the air. 

"Professor, Professor, I think I need some – oh, my!" he said innocently as soon as   
McGonagall had made her way to his desk, as though he were very shocked to find Sirius snoring.   
"Professor, do you think he's –" 

"I know perfectly well what he's doing," she growled. She stepped over in front of Sirius   
and rapped on his desk with her knuckles. "Excuse me? Mr. Black? Do you think you could be so   
kind as to join us?" 

"What –?" asked Sirius groggily, lifting his head off his hands. 

"I was wondering if you might... ah... wake up?" 

Sirius shook his head, looking up distantly. "But it was so _dull_," he mumbled, too tired to   
consider what he was saying. A couple of them laughed. The remark did not go down well with   
Professor McGonagall. 

- 

"I can't believe you did that," laughed Lily, now on speaking terms with Sirius again. "But   
you got out of there without detention or _anything_...." 

"I know," grumbled Sirius. "I was really hoping I would...." 

"You wanted a detention?" 

"No, not really... just wanted to have one to scrape out of." 

"Oh. I see." She smiled up at him. "You're an idiot, you know?" 

He grinned back at her. "I know. But it was that Snape kid...he didn't have to get me into   
trouble like that...." 

James snorted. "In all fairness, Sirius, you _did _make an ass out of him in front of the entire   
school...." 

"The tail was very becoming." 

James nodded, smiling. "You'd like one, then?" 

Sirius beamed. "I imagine I'll have to try one out someday." 

They turned a corner, and began down a long corridor, lined with an endless row of doors.   
Lily was about to turn and follow as well, but someone pounced on her and dragged her into one   
of the empty rooms, locking the door behind them, covering her mouth with their hand so she   
couldn't scream. Lily bit down on the person's hand and they released with a horrified scream.   
Lily turned around to see who had grabbed her. 

She recognized her as the girl who'd gotten into a scrape with Peter. 

"Who are you?" she breathed heavily. The girl looked up from her throbbing hand,   
pushing a strand of curly black hair out of her eyes. 

"Raye McNair," she snipped lightly. "You?" 

"Lily Evans," she responded coldly. "But shouldn't you know? You're the one who   
dragged me in here...." 

The girl smiled, her light blue eyes gleaming in the darkness. "Oh. Yes. Sorry about that." 

"Well, sorry for biting you." 

"Yes... you have quite the pair of canines...." 

Lily didn't know quite what to say. _Thank you? I drink calcium fortified orange juice_?   
"Erm...." 

Raye laughed. "I was... really... just wondering something...." 

"And what's that?" 

"Let me finish, would you?" asked Raye with a chuckle. "That boy you were talking to   
just now...." 

"James?" asked Lily with a hint of bewilderment. "The one with the glasses?" Raye shook   
her head. 

"No, no... the one who fell asleep in class. The one McGonagall had to tell off. What's his   
name?" 

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Sirius Black," she began slowly. "Why? What's his name to   
you?" 

Lily could see her face darken, even in the little light that filled the classroom. "Well... no   
reason, really, I was just... you know... thinking...." 

"Oh good lord!" squealed Lily, a violent fit of giggles escaping her throat. Raye went even   
pinker, clamping her hand over her mouth again. 

"Oh, please, be quiet! I was hoping no one would know! Ooh, don't _tell!_" 

Lily recovered, taking Raye's hand away, the occasional laugh still surfacing. "You know   
he's a Gryffindor, don't you?" 

"Yes...." 

"And _you're_ a Slytherin, aren't you?" 

"Yes...." 

"And those two don't match, you know?" 

"Oh, yes, I know, but he's such a _good looking _Gryffindor...." 

Lily snorted again, and Raye kicked her, laughing. "So, what do you want _me_ to do about   
it?" 

Raye wrung her hands, shifting her weight, her eyes very blue. "Er... well... I was... sort   
of... _hoping_... that even if you_ are_ a Gryffindor... that maybe... you could...." She whispered   
something in Lily's ear, which made them both go red and burst out laughing. 

Lily extended her hand and Raye clasped it, the two of them sharing a very secret smile. 

- 

"I'm off to bed, alright, James? Peter's probably already asleep... he's not much of a night   
owl...." 

"Uh huh. G'night, Sirius." 

Sirius disappeared up the staircase, and James was about to follow, but Lily darted out   
from behind the chair she had been sitting at for hours and grabbed him, pulling him back down   
into the Common Room. James whirled around to see Lily. 

"Lily? What the hell...?" 

Lily pressed a finger to his lips, gesturing for him to sit down. "We need to talk. And   
quietly." 

James glanced around. "There's no one else here...." 

"I know." She smiled. "But I need to ask you something...." 

"About?" 

"Sirius." 

James looked slightly put out. The expression disappeared quickly from his face, though,   
and was replaced by a toothy grin. "Yes, he seems to be on your mind quite a lot." Lily scowled. 

"Don't be so horrible. That whole –" 

"Boxer incident?" 

Lily shuddered. "Yes... that... it was an _accident_. I didn't_ know_... most decent people wear   
_pajamas_, don't you know?" 

"Yes, but Sirius isn't decent." 

"He should have been wearing more than boxers." 

"You liked it." 

Lily shook her head, going furiously pink. "We're getting off subject. I wanted to ask you   
a _question_. And I_ do_ wish you would pay attention!" she snapped to James as he finished   
humming the Wedding March. 

"Terribly sorry." 

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure you are." 

"If you don't want to except my apology –" he started. Lily let out something between a   
groan and a very loud scream. James laughed. "Hush up, remember? We're supposed to be   
'_quiet_.' Now... what were you going to ask me?" 

"Well," began Lily, taking to fingering through a strand of hair, not sure how to begin.   
"Does Sirius... have any... um... he's not... _preoccupied_, is he?" James looked confused. Lily bit   
her lip. "He's not... he doesn't..._ feel_... that... way... about... anyone... does he?" 

James jumped out of his chair, pointing and laughing triumphantly. "Ah ha! I knew it! You   
_do_ like him, then!" 

"No I most certainly do not!" wailed Lily, pushing him back down into his chair. "I'm   
trying to set him up." James snorted. 

"With who?" 

"Raye McNair," Lily said bluntly. James furrowed his brow. 

"I don't believe I remember a Raye McNair... she's not in Gryffindor, is she?" 

Lily looked a little pale. "Erm... well... not... _exactly_...." 

"Which house, then?" 

"Slytherin." 

James shook his head wildly, waving his hands. "Ooh, no. No way. I'm not doing any   
favours for a slimy, filthy, revolting –" 

"She's not slimy, filthy, or revolting," interrupted Lily with a bite of impatience. "She's   
just superficial." James snorted. 

"What? She thinks ickle Sirius is a hottie?" teased James. Lily fought down a laugh. 

"Yes, actually, she does. And she wants me to help her get to 'im. And that's why I need   
you." 

"Excuse me," James corrected her. "I don't believe_ I'm_ involved in this little agreement." 

"Oh yes you are," hissed Lily. "You're his best friend, and you're _going_ to make magic   
happen. I'll reward you handsomely if you do." 

James pricked up. "What'll you give me?" 

Lily looked blank. "Well... uh... I don't really... _have _any material item I could give   
you...." 

"Then you have to offer me a service, don't you?" 

"I could offer you my company," she said with a wide, cheeky grin up at him. He raised   
his brows with a grin of his own. 

"I don't think so. I was thinking... more along the lines of... slave labour." 

Lily smiled prettily. "Dream on, Alice." 

"I'm James, remember?" 

Lily rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Will you help me out, please?" 

"No." 

"Pretty please?" 

"No." 

"Pretty please with an extra large mound of whipped cream?" 

"I _detest _whipped cream." 

Lily heaved her shoulders. "You boys are all the same." She thought very hard, but   
apparently her brain wasn't suited for such a thing, so she gave up. "Listen, I'll give you a night to   
think about a suitable service I could offer you in exchange for your help. If you come up with   
something I can agree on, _then_ will you help me?" 

James thought. He couldn't really lose.... "Alright," he agreed, taking her hand. Lily   
smiled gratefully up at him. 

"Thank you." 

"Hey, no problem." They both stood up and headed to their respective staircases, the fire   
in the grate dying down, casting eerie shadows across the empty Common Room. 

"G'night, Evans." 

"Good night, Potter." 

Lily was on the fifth step when James stopped her. 

"Lily?" he called, still remaining on the staircase. She did the same. 

"Yeah?" 

"Do you really think Sirius is that good looking?" 

Lily stopped, her breath baited. Thinking the question over, she responded with a large   
smile, "Yes, I do. Especially in his boxers." Then she trounced up to her dorm, leaving James on   
his stairway looking very sour. 

- 

"– did you see that tree?" 

"– just planted it, I heard...." 

"– it's enormous!" 

"– forget the tree, did you see the_ boy_?" 

"– heavens, yes!" 

"– he's gorgeous!" 

Such were the rumors that were floating around the Great Hall that morning at breakfast.   
Peter, James and Sirius were sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table. Lily and Anne were   
sitting across from them. Lily was sulking at the fact that she didn't know what any of these   
rumors were about. 

"You alright?" asked Anne, ladling a large portion of orange marmalade onto her toast.   
Lily grumbled. 

"Fine. But I wish I knew what all this hullabaloo was about. It's driving me insane." 

"Well, you're driving us insane, so we're even." Lily glared at Peter, who was laughing,   
and spilling milk all over himself. 

"Which class is first?" 

"What day is it?" 

"Tuesday," answered Lily. 

"Ah." James whipped his schedule out of his school bag and lay it across the table,   
scanning it. "Potions." 

Lily clucked her tongue. "I hate Potions. It's so dull...." 

"It's only dull if you're terrible at it," snapped Sirius, smiling at her. "And, unfortunately,   
I'm not." Lily kicked him under the table and Sirius winced in pain. Anne scolded Lily briskly,   
popping a tart daintily in her mouth and standing up. 

"I'm heading off. Professor Aravis hinted that we'd be continuing Swelling Solutions last   
class.... I'm horrible at Swelling Solutions. I'm getting there early to start." 

James stood up, nodding. "I'm hopeless in Potions. I'm coming with you." Peter stood up   
quickly, hating to be left behind. Sirius and Lily exchanged smirks, shaking their heads. 

"I don't need the extra time –" 

"But if you lot are leaving –" 

"Without a proper goodbye, even –" 

"We're tagging along to make you miserable." 

And so they did. 

By the time they arrived in the Dungeons, they were fifteen minutes early, but found that   
the majority of the class was already there. They all exchanged glances. This was highly unusual.   
However, most of the students also seemed to be tuned into the conversation going on in the   
front of the classroom. The Potions Master, Professor Aravis, was talking raptly to a boy whom   
Lily didn't recognize from the Sorting. 

"Who's he?" Lily whispered to any one of the four Gryffindors. They all shrugged their   
shoulders, but not to be rude, seated themselves at two tables in the back. James and Sirius sat at   
one; Lily, Anne and Peter sat at the other. Peter had been forced to sit with the two girls; Sirius   
had wanted to make sure that there would be room for a certain new student at his table. That's   
what they had confidently decided he was. They couldn't see his face, as he had his back to the   
class, but he was a real shorty. Well... he was taller than Lily and Peter... but not nearly as tall as   
James or Sirius. He couldn't have been more than a first year. Lily had tacked this and the rumors   
together and come up with : new student. 

James and Sirius were having the time of their lives, the start of a Swelling Solution   
already brewing in their cauldrons, not bothering to wait for the class to actually start. This   
opportunity was too ripe to blow off. If all went right.... James sniggered as the potion frothed   
madly. They'd scared two students out of their last school the previous year... and that was   
without the aid of magic. No, no... this was going to be even better than torturing Snape... and   
that was pretty high up on their list. 

When the bell rung, the potion in James and Sirius' cauldron had nearly finished   
simmering, and they were both wearing identical, evil grins. Lily and Anne were complaining in a   
girlish sort of way about 'those two,' and Peter was trying to block out their whining. 

"Ahem." The Professor cleared her throat from the front of her throat. The boy was now   
facing the class with a thin smile. Anne elbowed Lily hard in the side. 

"_Ow_!" 

Anne didn't seem to notice. "_He's hot_," she whispered in Lily's ear. Lily frowned and   
rolled her eyes. She'd seen Sirius in his boxers. That, she admitted to _herself _at least, was far   
better. Though, she reasoned, the boy up front probably would have looked a deal better if he   
weren't so off colour. He looked as though he were recovering from the flu. The only thing really   
alive about him were his deep amber eyes, which were glancing nervously across the room. They   
matched his hair. It was a nice shade of cinnamon. Not mousy. Lily was very picky over things   
like that. 

"_He's not too shabby_," Lily whispered back. Anne sighed heavily, tossing her hair and   
pulling a face. Clearly, that was not the response she had wanted. 

"Children," hushed Professor Aravis. "Please." She smiled. "As I'm confident you've all   
noticed, another first year has joined our ranks today." A few Ravenclaws in the back of the room   
giggled. "He's been... ah...." She glanced nervously down at him for a moment. "Ill." He smiled   
gratefully up at the Professor. She returned the smile and cleared her throat again, announcing,   
"May I introduce to you – ah – what was your name, again?" 

"Remus Lupin," he finished for her, going red. 

"Remus Lupin!" she said loudly, as though no one had heard him. The Ravenclaw girls   
giggled shrilly again. Sirius tuttered darkly. 

"_Really_," pouted Sirius to James. "They ought to be giggling at _me_." 

"Oh – of – of course," said James quickly, patting his friend reassuringly on the arm. 

Professor Aravis was discussing Remus' seating with him. "Hmm... why don't you go   
over and sit yourself down in the vacant seat next to Mr. Porter?" 

"Potter," James corrected her irritably. 

"Whatever." She was no good with names. She turned back to Remus. "Go on," she   
coaxed, pushing him forward. Colour finally back in his face, Remus picked up his school bag and   
slung it over his shoulder, walking over to the table, wary under the pressing stares of the   
Ravenclaws. 

"Hurry, quickly!" urged Sirius as James ladled a great deal of their solution into the empty   
seat beside of him. 

"Done!" cried James, beaming at his own cleverness. "That poor sap...." 

"Ooh!" squealed Sirius delightedly. "It blends perfectly! You can't even tell it's there!   
He'll never know what hit him!" 

"Well, 'til it does, and he's got an ass the size of Africa." The both of their eyes gleamed   
darkly. 

Not for the first time, Lily was worried. She knew that James and Sirius had harmless   
_intentions_.... but she felt for Remus. Poor thing, coming in without the first weeks experience,   
having been caught ill at exactly the wrong time. Somehow, she didn't think a seat full of Swelling   
Solution was going to help his mood. "Remus?" she called softly. He turned around quickly and   
stopped walking, going a very faint pink. 

_She was very pretty_. "Yes?" 

"Come here for a second, would you?" 

He looked reluctant, but while Aravis was scrawling notes and ingredients on the   
blackboard, he approached Lily's desk. "I should really be at my seat, you know." 

"Er... yes, about that.... Don't sit down." 

"Oh?" 

"Well," she explained. "You've been honored with the privilege of sitting at the table of   
the infamous Sirius Black and James Potter." 

"And?" 

"They've poured Swelling Solution on your seat." 

Remus raised his eyebrows. "You're pulling my leg...." 

"I'm not." Then, desperately, "Trust me. Don't sit down. Don't give them that   
satisfaction." 

He grinned, but he still didn't look as though he completely believed her. "Well... if it   
means that much to you... I won't. But, if you're lying about this, and I end up standing the whole   
class without event, your blood is mine." He grinned charmingly, and Lily found herself smiling.   
_Why, he was almost as bad as the two who were trying to trip him up_. Except sweeter. James   
wouldn't have given her any warning. And Sirius wouldn't even have needed an excuse. 

James and Sirius were conversing again. 

"You know, I was almost afraid we weren't going to able to have this sort of fun." 

"Ah... imagine, if only_ Snape_ was a new student... but this will suffice, I suppose." 

"Hey, if he's in this class, though, he must be a Gryf–" 

"Hello," said a voice warmly above them. James and Sirius shut up and glanced up to find   
Remus Lupin standing above them, a polite smile on his face. 

"Oh, hello Remus," said Sirius a little too quickly. "Have a seat! We're mixing up a   
Swelling Solution!" Sirius and James exchanged brief glances before turning back to Remus   
hopefully. However, he wasn't taking a seat. He was remaining standing, unzipping his bag. 

"Er – you can go on and sit down, you know. We don't bite." 

"I'm sure you don't," replied Remus lightly. "But I need to unload my potions supplies." 

"We've got ours set out. You can borrow them. You don't need to bother with yours." 

"Oh, I couldn't. I've got my own, I really don't need yours." 

"Really. I_ insist_." 

Beads of sweat were forming on Lily's forehead, and her lips were pursed. James' temper   
was rising. He had a rather nasty temper. If the three of them kept it up, they were all going to   
end up in detentions (though Sirius probably wouldn't mind). She needed a distraction...   
something that would avert the potion master's attention for a few minutes... something...   
anything... her eyes fell on her potion. 

"Peter?" 

"Yeah?" 

"I am really,_ really _sorry about this." She grabbed the spoon out of the potion and   
splashed Peter with it. He let out an indignant sputter, but his face was already swelling. He   
screamed out in surprise, glaring wildly at Lily. She gave him an apologetic grin, then turned   
away, preferring not to watch. Most of the girls turned away or "eww!"ed loudly. Most of the   
boys were watching with interest. 

"Oh good lord," cried Professor Aravis, dashing over to Peter and escorting him to her   
office by his arm. "Come with me, Mr Pettigull, we'll fix you up in my office...." As soon as they   
had attained privacy in the Professor's store room, the vast majority of the class burst out into   
suppressed laughter. 

James slammed his hand on the chair, laughing hard, tears leaking out of his eyes.   
Combing his fingers through his hair, he added between laughs, "Oh, man, that's Peter for you.   
Always good for a laugh, he is...!" 

Sirius wasn't laughing. He was quite pale. "James...." 

"What?" 

"Your... hand... and... your forehead... they're...." 

James went white as chalk, realizing what he had done. He examined his hand before him.   
It was roughly the size of a large baseball glove. But his head.... He leaned over his cauldron,   
catching his reflection. On the side of his head, making it look very lopsided and deformed, was a   
lump the size of a goose egg. Sirius looked like he was struggling very hard to control himself.   
His face was beet red, and his eyes were tearing. James was furious. 

"Think it's_ funny_, Sirius?" Sirius nodded very slowly, a chuckle or two occasionally   
coming out like hiccups. "How's this for funny?" With his already enlarged hand, he scooped up a   
handful of the solution and splashed it at Sirius. It got him on the side, and his arm expanded   
rapidly, causing him to buckle and fall over on his side. Remus could take this no more. He fell to   
the floor, roaring with laughter and pounding the floor with each choked attempt. James   
exchanged glances with Sirius - who was still on the floor - and nodded. Remus looked up. He   
was hit in the face with the green liquid. His nose exploded. Not being able to support the weight   
of a nose the size of a pumpkin, he drooped to the floor, unable to get back up. 

They were all silent for one moment. 

Then, as though some very, very thick ice had been broken, they began to laugh. It began   
as occasional chuckles, but evolved rapidly to hysterical laughter, until they couldn't breath, and   
their faces began to turn purple. The whole class was staring at the three Gryffindors rolling on   
the ground in fits like idiots. 

Lily was burning. _What had she gone and done_? She turned to Anne, whose mouth was   
hanging open, and who had gone green. 

"Anne?" 

Anne shook her head, her face turning slowly back to its proper colour. "You know, Lily,"   
she began. "You're right. He's not _that_ hot." 

"Really?" asked Lily, surveying him with interest. "I think the nose is very becoming." 

- 

By October, James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin were   
inseparable. As it turned out, Remus had indeed been deemed a Gryffindor, much to the   
disappointment of the Ravenclaw girls. During a rather long spell in which Peter had been bitter   
with Lily for inflating his face, the four Gryffindor boys had spent the most of their time in the   
dormitory, and Remus and Peter had been introduced. They'd both hit it off right away; each   
thought that James and Sirius were hopeless cases with no self control at all. 

It so happened that Sirius' wish had been granted that fateful Potions class. After the story   
of what exactly had happened leaked out - and Professor Aravis had gotten over the shock of   
finding them all sprawled out across the floor with various body parts monstrously out of   
proportion - Sirius and James had received detentions. Remus offered to get them out of trouble,   
but Sirius insisted. It had already been two weeks into the term, and some of the teachers had   
almost begun to _like_ him. The horror. 

Lily had also been given a detention. Apparently, she'd upset Peter when she spilled (or   
threw, the story varied from different sources) half of their potion on his head. Peter apologized   
for getting her into trouble a week later, after he'd gotten over his trauma. 

It was October the Second. 

All three were serving their detentions tonight. 

"This is getting dull...." 

"_Getting _dull?" snapped James. "We've been standing out here for more than ten   
minutes." 

"You have no patience." 

"And I suppose you have?" 

"Yes," said Lily, smiling, still looking good tempered as she leaned casually against the   
stone wall. Sirius paced back and forth across the hallway, obviously as impatient as James. 

"When's Filch getting here? He's the sort of person that I'd expected to be waiting for us.   
If I'd known he'd be so long, I would have left here by now, back in the Tower." 

"Would you, now?" asked a harsh voice behind him. Sirius whirled around, staring at   
Filch. 

"After, of course, I'd finished my detention... which I... deserve...." Sirius grinned widely,   
sidestepping out of his way. 

Filch ignored him, pushing past him and entering his storeroom, slamming the door behind   
him. 

"This again?" whispered Sirius; he was terrified of speaking too loudly now. "Couldn't he   
have done this _before_ –" 

"Come with me," Filch interrupted unknowingly, pushing a large cart laden with mops,   
towels, and buckets of water out of the room. He locked the door and began down the hallways   
in the direction of the dungeons, James, Sirius and Lily following obediently behind. 

"It seems," he began. "That a certain student poured a sugar water solution all down the   
Slytherin labyrinth." Sirius beamed. (As it was his own handiwork.) "Naturally, we'd hoped to   
find the culprit responsible and have him set things properly... but as we've no leads yet...." Sirius'   
grin grew even wider. "... you three will clean it up instead." 

"What?!" Sirius' grin had vanished, and was buckling under James and Lily's glares. 

"Without magic," finished Filch, a nasty glint in his eye. He left them with the mops and   
stalked back down the corridor, out of sight. The three of them stood on the verge of the   
labyrinth, looking down onto the oddly textured floor. Well, two of them. Sirius was on the   
ground. His knees had given way. He made his way quickly up, though, dusting off his robes and   
pulling out his wand. 

"Well, let's get this over with –" 

"Wait!" cried Lily. "We aren't allowed to use magic!" 

"So?" 

"We can't use magic!" repeated Lily bluntly. 

"Sure we can!" 

"Filch told us not to!" 

"So?" Sirius asked again, laughing. Lily was pleading with him now. 

"Sirius, we'll get into so much trouble!" 

"Ha! Trouble is my middle name." 

"We'll it's _not_ mine." 

"What_ is_ your middle name?" asked James, completely off topic 

"Josephine," she snapped impatiently. Both James and Sirius snorted. 

"_Josephine_?!" 

"Ooh!" Lily growled at them, snatching Sirius' wand away and pocketing it. "There. Now   
you can't use magic." 

"But I –" 

She handed him a mop and a bucket of water, easily as irritable as Filch. "Work." Sirius   
pulled a face and dunked his mop into the bucket, careful to splash Lily with some. Lily thought   
about pouring the bucket over his head, but considered the consequences and instead grabbed a   
mop, soaking it and wiping it across the floor miserably. 

"What possessed you to spill a sugar solution all down the dungeons?" asked James,   
lifting a mop of his own, dabbing at a stubborn area along the wall, accidentally standing in a   
puddle of it. 

"I just thought it would be amusing. A whole lot of Slytherins, stuck to the ground... like   
flies on flypaper...." His eyes misted over. "Oh! how I wish I had been there to see it." Lily   
chuckled. 

"You haven't got a single ounce of common sense in your whole body." 

"Thank you." 

James was still scrubbing the crack between one of the labyrinth walls. "You know, I think   
Sirius had the right idea about this...." 

"What? Use magic?" she asked, trying to force a smile. "This stuff doesn't need magic.   
It's... absolutely... perfect." She'd just stepped in a particularly nasty spot, her shoe glued to the   
floor. She groaned. "These were_ new_, Sirius...." 

"Don't blame me. You're the one who wouldn't let me use magic." 

"You're the one who spilt this stuff." 

"Touche." 

James lifted his eyes to the ceiling, taking out his own wand. "This is ridiculous. This mess   
will be impossible to clean up by hand." 

"Ah ah ah.... Shouldn't be using magic in detention, Potter." Snape had appeared around   
one of the corners, oblivious to the fact that his shoes were rapidly being glued to the floor. James   
groaned. 

"Do you have a magnetic reaction to my wand or something?" 

"No," breathed Severus. "Just to a group of first year Gryffindors who are about to get   
landed in a whole heap of trouble with Filch." 

Lily raised her brows, leaning on her mop casually, not looking concerned at all. "Go   
ahead, Severus. Go ahead and tell old Filch what we're doing." Snape looked a little worried.   
Was this a trap? As all three of them were now grinning madly at him, he figured that it must be. 

"Uh... actually... who's keeping track?" He turned a made a swift movement to dart off   
back to the Slytherin Common Room, with complete unawareness of the mass of syrup leaked   
across the floor. His right foot stuck, he overbalanced, and got a face full of cement. Well, mostly   
just sugar. Lily looked satisfied. 

"Serves you right, worm." Then she retrieved Sirius' wand out of her pocket. "Now,   
where were we?" 

Sirius cuffed her on the shoulder. "Good girl." He directed his wand at the floor, muttered   
a few well chosen words, and lifted it up with the floor spotless. Well, not completely spotless.   
He'd left a little for Snape. And for Lily. That, however, had been an accident. 

"My shoe's still stuck," she whined, trying in vain to pull her shoe off the floor. 

"What do you expect_ us_ to do about it?" 

"Get it off?" she tried, smiling weakly. Both boys shook their heads, so Lily took a   
different approach. 

"Do they have a... sort of... lost & found here?" 

"They might." 

"Oh, alright. That's good to know._ Evans _is written in that shoe." 

- 

"It was good of you to volunteer yourself like this, James," Lily said, smiling triumphantly,   
sitting on top of James' shoulders, one boot and one bare foot dangling in his face. 

"Really? Was it now? As I recall, it started with your threat to hex me and ended with you   
jumping on my back, wand pointed into my head." 

She poked the wand in further. "Oh, yes. It's all... vaguely coming back to me." She   
giggled, patting him affectionately on the head. 

"Is that Remus?" he asked suddenly, dropping Lily in surprise. 

"Good heavens," started Sirius. "I think it is. What's a goody two shoes like him doing up   
so late?" 

"It's only nine o'clock." 

"What part of 'goody two shoes' did you not understand, James?" 

James rolled his eyes, but he was extremely curious as to what Remus was doing, slinking   
around nervously in the shadows. 

"_Should we stop him_?" whispered Lily, aching, but in a standing position. 

"No," answered James with the shake of a head. "If he's doing something illegal, we want   
to let him get away with it." Lily smiled, shaking her head, then pulled the two back behind a   
statue so that Remus wouldn't see them. He disappeared into the Infirmary. 

The three got out from behind the stone witch and exchanged confused glances. "What's   
that about, eh?" 

"Dunno. Let's just get back to the Tower. We'll ask Peter. He's a good gossip." 

- 

Peter was playing a game of exploding snap with Anne, both of them baring ashen faces.   
This was odd, as Peter didn't like cards _or_ Anne. It was either sleepiness or boredom that had   
infiltrated his brain. Anne looked up as Lily, James and Sirius crawled back in through the portrait   
hole, the cards exploding in her face, one of her perfectly tweezed eyebrows alight. "Finished with   
your detentions?" She looked down. "You're missing a shoe, Lily, by the way, did you know?" 

"Yes," said Lily absentmindedly, staring at Peter. "Where'd Remus go off to?" 

"Home," said Peter, not looking up, shuffling the remainders of the cards and tapping   
them with his wand, placing them back in his bag. 

"Home?" cried Sirius. "He's already gotten expelled? And he didn't even let us in on the   
fun?!" 

"No," answered Peter, laughing, turning his chair to face them, whose mouths were all   
open. "His mother's been taken ill. He says the headmaster, Dumbledore, has given him   
permission to go home and see her." 

"Oh," said Sirius, sounding relieved that Remus wasn't expelled, but disappointed that he   
hadn't blown up one of the teachers or something of the like. 

"I hope she's feeling better," sighed Lily, taking a seat by Anne. Sirius and James followed   
suit. 

"That poor boy," muttered Anne. "He's had absolutely horrible luck. Missing the first   
week of term, his mother being sick... having to spend day and night with darling Sirius." Sirius   
grinned. Anne kicked up her feet on the table, looking very unladylike and very un-Anne-like. "I   
hope things turn out better for him." 

"You never worry about_ us_ like that," hissed James, prodding his finger in her face. Anne   
giggled. 

"What? You and Sirius are always doing something that could result in death. It's too   
much stress on my part to waste time worrying about you." 

"What about me?" asked Peter with a quivering bottom lip. Anne patted him. 

"You're tolerable. And you're good for a game of exploding snap." 

"Only because Paris and Kathryn won't play it with you," retorted Peter with a widening   
grin, his quiver quite gone. Anne laughed. 

"Ah, those two are such spoilsports. Already up in the dorm, sleeping. Either that or   
giggling over you two," she added with a dark glance at James and Sirius. "Which reminds me...   
I'm tired. Let's go up, Lily, it's nearing nine thirty... and we have to be up early tomorrow. Flying   
class." She groaned, but picked up her bag and walked up the girls' staircase. Lily slung her own   
across her shoulder and bowed. 

"Goodnight, all. Sweet dreams. Don't do anything illegal while I'm gone." 

James smiled. "We will. Goodnight." 

She blew them a kiss and followed Anne up the stairs. 

- 

Remus entered the dorm quietly, careful not to make noise as he closed the door behind   
him. He checked his wristwatch. Five thirty. Good. None of the boys would be up for an hour or   
so. Well... perhaps James. He was an early riser. But he somehow doubted James would get up   
willingly without the promise of something to entertain him. Remus pushed back the draperies of   
his four poster and climbed on top of it, shutting them carefully. He laid out his bag in front of   
him, withdrawing a small bottle of an oddly blue liquid. A gift from Madam Pomfrey. 

_"You sure you don't want to stay any longer in the Hospital Wing? There's room, you_   
_know."___

_ "I'm fine. I've stayed the night, and I'm ready to go back...."___

_ "It's early. You could sleep a few more hours."___

_ "Really. I'd like to go back to the Common Room."___

_ "Well... at least take this with you. It'll help with the pain of the scars. They'll go away in_   
_about a week."_

He hoped. It wouldn't do to have anyone see the scars... they would raise too many   
questions. Madam Pomfrey had done a nice job of healing them... they were very thin, and passing   
them off as scratches from a rose bush seemed like a possibility. Some of them were rather large,   
however. He pulled off his robes, glancing down at his chest, wincing. He especially hated that   
one. He'd bitten himself pretty badly. He remembered the blood. The taste of blood was still in his   
mouth. He'd never forget it. Shutting his eyes, he twisted the cap off and blotted some of the   
liquid on his sheets. He pulled them off and dabbed them across his chest, trying to heal the scars.   
It burned. 

He howled in pain. "HOLY SHIT, THAT SMARTS!" He clamped his hands over his   
mouth, shaking his head, rocking back and forth. No... no... how could he have done that? Sirius   
and Peter might have been able to sleep through a hurricane, but James couldn't. He'd be up for   
sure. Oh no... Remus fidgeted, screwing the cork back into the bottle and throwing it into his   
bags. He just needed to find some clothes and – 

James pulled back the draperies. "Remus, are you alright? I heard – I –" He stared down   
at Remus, his eyes caught on the gash leading from his collarbone to his abdomen. "Remus –" 

"It's nothing," Remus assured him, hiding himself with his sheets. "I stumbled into some   
rosebushes at my mother's house... they got me pretty badly... but I'm alright, now. Go back to   
bed." 

James stared, trying to catch Remus' eyes, which kept themselves firmly pressed to his   
bed. James raised his eyebrows, not looking completely convinced, but he shrugged and walked   
back over to his bed. He was snoring in five minutes. Remus exhaled deeply. 

_ That was too close...._

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*   
Oooh. Mystery. Intrigue. Actually, there really isn't. We all know what's happening. Ah. If only I were clever   
enough to think of this myself. But I'm not, so it's not really an issue. 

I've come up with a plan! I'll update this story once a month, on the first of every... month. I hate to use that word   
a second time. Just sounds SO repetitive. If I finish early or late, the dates may be adjusted, but I'm trying SO   
HARD to keep a schedule. Oh please be proud of me! 

... and please review. That would be nice, too. 

**A R C H A N G E L**   
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* 


	3. Raye McNair and a Kiss From Snape

**_~*Always That Hero*~_****__**

**_ *Chapter Three*_**   
****   
**_Raye McNair, and a Kiss from Snape_**

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*   
So. I'm back. Miss me? DOUBT IT. I've decided to toss this once-a-month thing. It's kinda... slow. ::mope:: And   
I've had certain people complain. ^^;; Don't hate me! That'll make me cry! And surely you don't want THAT, do   
you? 

Now, we look upon this chapter title and wonder to ourselves : If the last one was title "Lupin," and it was about   
Lupin (GOD you people are smart), then THIS ONE must be about my little made-up. And I apologize. But she's   
actually very crucial to the plot. And that besides... she's not a made-up character. ::GASP:: What's that? SHE   
EXISTS?! In the books... yes. MUAHAHAHA ^___________^ I'm so clever! 

I'm taken by my cleverness. ::squeal:: Guess who she is. Go ahead. TRY ME. But FAIL. FAIL! 

I'm freaking **myself **out now. Someone's gotta hit me when I do this. 

Credit to Miss Rowling. And dear... do get on with the fifth book~!   
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* 

"Hold your right hand over the broom –" 

James and Sirius were growing impatient. They'd had their brooms in their hands for five   
minutes. There were a few Slytherins who'd gotten the hang of it, too. The rest of the class was   
struggling. Remus was getting a _reaction_ from his broom, but that was about it. The broom   
would hover a foot or two off the ground, lose heart halfway, and flop back down. Lily and Peter   
were hopeless. They were yelling at the brooms which stubbornly refused to lift themselves off of   
the ground. Anne, Paris, and Kathryn were to the point where they weren't even trying. They   
stood there, gossiping, and occasionally stopping to point at James or Sirius and giggle loudly.   
Madam Hooch gave up. 

"Alright, alright... for god's sake... those of you who haven't mastered this skill... bend   
down and _pick up _the broomsticks." The majority of the class bent down. "Straddle the broom   
and hover a foot above the ground." James and Sirius hovered. Remus and Peter wobbled. Lily   
fell off. Madam Hooch strode over to her. "Miss Evans... are you alright?" 

"Fine," muttered Lily, trying to ignore the sniggers and the pain in her rear. She climbed   
back on the broomstick, giving a cheery smile to Anne, who was a little pale. 

"We've gone over the basics of maneuvering," started Madam Hooch, but with a note in   
her voice that strongly suggested she doubted any of them would be able to handle the brooms.   
"On three! One – two –" Her whistle sounded, and they all rose into the air, some more quickly   
than others. Lily looked up, her knees clamped very tightly to the thin strip of wood between   
them. She smiled. There was Raye, ascending faster than either James or Sirius, who were clearly   
the best Gryffindors there. She tilted the broom upwards and climbed up to James, tugging on his   
robes, and trying not to fall to the ground thirty feet below her. 

"Huh?" James whirled around, smiling at Lily. "Oh. I see you're back on your broomstick.   
Need help falling off?" Lily didn't find this funny. 

"No," she snapped, her eyes full of venom. "I just wanted to point her out to you." 

"Who?" 

"Raye." 

"Raye?" 

"The one I need to hook Sirius up with." 

"Oh. Her. I never agreed to help, you know." 

"You never gave me a meaningless, trivial, degrading task to perform for you in   
exchange." 

"Hmm." James pressed a finger to his mouth. "No, I don't believe I did. Do you expect   
me to come up with something off the top of my head, right here?" 

"Yes," replied Lily, drawing the word out, as though that was obviously, _clearly _what   
she'd meant. 

"Reason?" 

"Well, I mean, Raye's right there –" 

"You never pointed her out to me." 

Lily was about to say something, but stopped. She _hadn't _pointed her out to him. Slapping   
herself mentally, she slid next to James, squinted her eyes and pointed upwards. "The one at the   
top. With the load of curly black hair." James smiled. 

"She's pretty. And she's a good flyer. Why should I help _Sirius_ get her, now?" Lily looked   
horrified, and James snickered. "I'm only kidding. I obviously prefer men." Lily dropped her   
mouth open. James was beside himself. "Lily, you have_ got _to be the most gullible person in the   
world." 

"Perhaps I am," she recovered, trying to hide her mild humiliation. "Will you help me   
then?" 

James racked his brain, apparently thinking hard. His face lit up. "I'll help you... if you kiss   
Severus." 

"_SNAPE_?!" 

"Snape," repeated James, looking pleased with himself. "Kiss him, and I'll help you with   
your Sirius problem." 

"But – that's so –" Lily cast around for the word. "– _revolting_." 

"I know. That's why I want you to do it." 

Lily's lip was curling. "Eurgh. Don't make me think such vile things. I'll kiss him on the   
cheek. But then you have to pay me five galleons_ and _help me with Raye." 

"To see you kiss Snape? Anything!" He shook her hand madly, nearly toppling her off her   
broom. Lily looked horrified with herself, but waved her hand. 

"Go – go on – go talk to Sirius before I change my mind –" She shook her head as James   
sped off, looking nothing short of giddy. 

"Sirius! Oh Sirius!" James called, crashing into Sirius, who was busy trying to scare a   
couple Slytherin girls off their brooms. 

"Yes?" answered Sirius sweetly, the two girls behind him looking ready to faint. 

"I need to ask you something." He stared at the terrified girls. "Alone. Let's go." They   
flew off to a more private spot of air, which happened to be in a tree. 

"This is nice." 

"Hush." James pulled a leaf out of his hair. "Do you mind Slytherins?" 

"Yes," answered Sirius. "Especially if their name beings with Severus Snape." 

James shook his head. "That's not really what I mean. I need you to sort of... fall in love   
with this Slytherin girl." 

Sirius raised his eyebrows, looking taken aback. "Eh?" 

"This girl... Raye McNair... or something... she's mad over you. She's also a friend of   
Lily's." 

"I'm not really sure where this is going...." 

"If you do it, Lily's gonna kiss Snape." 

"I'm there!" roared Sirius, not bothering to ask for details, or even what this girl looked   
like, and somehow managing to fly straight into a tree branch. James watched him fall to ground   
with curiosity. 

_Hmm. Wonder if I should notify a teacher._

- 

Sirius' eyes fluttered open, and he made to sit up, but James Potter was in his face. 

"Sleeping Beauty awakens!" he cried, making Sirius scream out. The low conversations in   
the room stopped. Peter had been reading a book. Remus glanced up from a conversation with   
Madam Pomfrey. _Oh. I'm in the Infirmary_.. He bent around James to see if Lily was there. He   
didn't know why he felt this way, but it bothered him slightly to think that Lily might not care   
about him falling out of a tree. Or from a tree. Or into a tree. They were all pretty much the same. 

Lily was sitting on the bed across from him, smiling. There was a dark haired girl next to   
him. He figured that must have been Raye. She had interesting eyes. They were blue. Like... Sirius   
tried to think of something blue, but couldn't. They were like blue. Yes. That would have to do. 

"That took you awhile," said Lily, bounding off of the bed and hopping over next to   
Sirius, sitting down on top of his feet. "Almost an hour, I think." 

"It was closer to twenty minutes," corrected Remus , edging over to Sirius' bedside. 

"Twenty minutes, an hour, who's counting?" 

"Obviously not you." 

"Thanks." 

"You missed the end of Flying Class," said Peter, munching on some grapes that had been   
left on the bedside table. "But Madam Hooch doesn't really think you're suited for flying,   
anyway. Running into a tree when we were out in the middle of a field, I mean." 

"But James pulled me into one – he was talking to me about that Raye – oh –" 

Raye squirmed guiltily on her bed. Lily beckoned her over. She approached Sirius slowly,   
biting her lip, and pouring into an explanation. 

"Listen, I'm _really_ sorry about this, it's all my fault... I didn't know you'd all make   
such a big fuss over this... and I also didn't know that Lily would hire recruits." She flashed a grin   
at Lily and James. "It's alright. You don't have to do anything on my behalf. My sea of raging   
hormones has ebbed." Sirius looked thunderstruck. 

"Oh no! But I have to fall in love with you! If I don't, Lily won't kiss Snape!" 

All eyes turned to Lily, who was going furiously red. Raye was grinning wickedly. "Do   
tell, Lily... I don't believe you explained_ this_ part to me." 

Lily wrung her hands, looking lost for words. "Well... when I agreed to help you, I needed   
James, didn't I? But he's so... well he's just so_ stubborn_... and... we agreed... on... erm... that."   
Raye was positively glowing. 

"So you're going to kiss that git?" 

"No!" cried Lily. "If you got what you'd asked for, then I would've, but as you've given   
up your claim on Sirius –" 

"Are you kidding?" croaked Raye, her eyes brimming with glee. "To see you kiss Severus?   
Anything!" She and Sirius exchanged glances. Lily went pale. 

"But that's not fair –" 

"Isn't it?" Raye bent down and kissed Sirius very noisily, all eyes glued to her. When she   
came up for air, her grin was wider than ever. "There. I think that settles it. Now – I believe you   
owe James here a promise." 

James was staring at her with his mouth hanging open. "I – I think Sirius would like to see   
it, too." 

Raye's brow creased. "Well, he can come, can't he?" They all turned to look at him. Lily   
smiled, and tugged on Madam Pomfrey's gown. 

"I think he's passed out again." 

- 

"Do it now." 

"No." 

"You promised." 

"Raye cheated." 

"She kissed him, didn't she?" 

"She didn't _mean_ it." 

"It sounded like she meant it." 

"It felt like she meant it." Lily and James stopped bickering for a moment to stare at   
Sirius, who was laughing. "I'm only joking. You can resume your squabble now." James and Lily   
sent him a stare obviously full of concern for his health, but did return to their argument. 

"You_ promised_ you'd do it if I helped Raye get to Sirius." 

"But she didn't '_get to_' him. It was just a silly little crush. She gave up on it." 

"She still kissed him." 

Lily groaned and rolled her eyes. "We've been arguing in circles for nearly ten minutes." 

"I know," replied James across the table, dumping a platter of chicken legs onto his plate.   
"And you still haven't gone over to pay a friendly visit to Snape." 

"He doesn't _deserve_ a friendly visit." 

"I know that, you know that. But you promised you'd make it." 

Lily growled, flicking a spoonful of mashed potatoes at him and missing badly, which only   
soured her mood. She turned to Sirius and pleaded, "Can't you make him see _sense_? It's not_ fair_,   
what he's going on about, and I am _not _kissing Snape." 

"You promised," preached Sirius with a smile. Lily groaned. 

"Remus – yes – Remus, you like me, don't you? Please, please save me from James...." 

Remus looked up at her with his brows raised, a fork in his mouth. He looked as though   
he were about to say something, but with a look from Sirius and James, he heaved his shoulders   
with a sigh and continued eating. Lily was desperate. 

"Peter!" 

He grinned, head perched on his hands. "I'd had my heart set on watching you and   
Snape." Lily put her head down on the table, defeated. 

"Fine." 

James looked startled, knocking over his glass. "You – you're really going to do it?" 

"Yes," she mumbled miserably into the linen cloth. Peter's head slipped off his hands, and   
Remus' fork fell out of his mouth as he gaped. She stood up, looking as though she were about to   
be beheaded, and strode over to the Slytherin table very slowly. 

"That girl's got balls. Sort of." 

"She's going to get sick...." 

"I've got a bottle of disinfectant up in the dorm." Eyes were returned to Sirius for a long,   
pitiful stare. Then they turned back to Lily. They wouldn't have missed this moment for the   
world. 

Raye looked up from her table, doing a double take. It was Lily... she was actually coming   
over... she tried to hide a smile. "Hey, Severus," she said, tossing her hair behind her shoulder, her   
blue eyes glittering. 

"Hm?" 

"I think you've got a surprise waiting for you." 

He turned up quickly, catching sight of Lily and pulling a face. "Oh no... no, not _her_...   
god, not one of _them_...." 

"Aw, scared of an ickle Griffie?" she teased him, grinning. 

"You know her?" 

"We've met," she responded cooly. She watched intently as Lily approached Snape, her   
face very pale, and her hands a little shaky. 

"Er – Snape?" 

"What?" he snapped, aware that every Slytherin who was at the table had their eyes on   
him. 

"I – I'm here to give you a present." 

"What, a dung bomb?" 

"No," whispered Lily, though she sorely wished that was all she had to do. "Look that   
way!" she pointed in the opposite direction, and as his head turned, she bent down to kiss him, but   
he whirled around quickly in surprise and slammed her across the face. She fell back to the   
ground, her face burning, her eyes tearing, and Snape's hand print fresh on her cheek. The   
Gryffindor Table exploded with laughter behind her, as did the Slytherin Table. Raye leapt up   
with concern and raced over to Lily, helping her to her feet. 

"Lily – oh – dear, are you alright?" she cried, her Slytherin manner dropping. 

"Yeah," she managed, wincing as she rubbed her cheek. "But that was way more trouble   
than it was worth. I didn't even get to kiss him properly." 

- 

"More ice?" asked James innocently, pushing the ice tray under her nose and shaking it. 

"Shut up," growled Lily, her cheek swollen with a number of ice cubes already in her   
mouth. "And yes." She grabbed another ice and stuffed it in, looking miserable. Madam Pomfrey   
sighed. 

"This is the second time in one day," she muttered, looking bewildered. "Do you lot just   
walk around with your eyes shut, banging into walls with fire pokers in each hand, _hoping_ to get   
injured?" 

"No," retorted Sirius. "But that does sound like fun." The nurse rolled her eyes and   
disappeared into her office. 

"We're really sorry about what happened," apologized Remus, taking the ice tray away   
from James. 

"_We're _sorry?" snorted Sirius. "_You're_ sorry. I thought that was really amusing." Peter   
sighed. 

"But she didn't even get to do it properly...." 

"He slapped me in the face, Peter!" roared Lily, looking hurt. "You want me to go back in   
there and try again?" 

"No," Peter answered quickly. "Pomfrey would have our blood if we came trotting back in   
here a _third_ time." 

"Well, you know, third time's a charm –" 

"Would you give it a _rest_, Sirius?" cried Anne, who'd entered the Infirmary and was now   
walking over to Lily with an armload of fruits. She smiled, sitting on her bed and patting her. 

"I saw what just happened in there. These boys are dangerous, I'm telling you. Why _do_   
you put up with them?" Lily shook her head with a smile, embracing Anne. 

"Thanks." 

"No prob." She unloaded the fruits onto the night stand. "Here. I brought you some things   
from lunch. Figured you probably didn't finish, considering that Snape almost broke your jaw.   
They're only soft ones. Strawberries, blueberries, and such, with a little bit of whipped cream.   
You can eat those, can't you?" 

"What?" asked Lily, a strawberry already in her mouth. "Oh – oh yes." 

Sirius and James had grabbed a couple too, piling a great deal of cream on top. 

Lily knitted her brows, lips curled in a smile. "I thought you two _detested_ whipped   
cream?" James finished licking the whipped cream from his fingers. 

"Did we? Oh. We must have forgotten." He turned to Anne with a smile. "Thanks,   
Annie." 

She rolled her eyes, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears. "Hey... no problem." 

Lily shoved a few more fruits into her mouth, swallowing them and the ice both, the   
swelling in her cheek decreased. "I think I'm alright now. We've got class in half an hour,   
anyway, I'll be getting ready. I'll see you all. Thank you again, Anne." She jumped up from her   
bed, grabbing her things and rushing out of the door. The five Gryffindors stared after her,   
dumbstruck. 

"Did she just leave _us_?" 

"Yes," answered Anne, a half smile on her lips. "I think she just did." 

- 

Lily skipped through the passageways, hardly watching where she was going, the whipped   
cream giving her something of a sugar high. (That, plus the drugs Madam Pomfrey had given her   
to take down the swelling in her mouth.) She skidded to a halt and into a large stone statue as she   
heard a distinctive scream from behind a door in the corridor. Putting her hand to her head, she   
crept over to the door, pressing her ear against it. It couldn't be a class... they'd all let out before   
now... then who...? 

"_Stop _it, Walden!" cried a female's voice, high and pleading. The voice was familiar. 

"I will not!" The slamming of something heavy into a wall, or the floor. Another scream.   
"You _continue_ to disobey me, when I –" 

"Just because you're my older brother, that doesn't give you authority to rule over me!" 

More crashes, and more strangled cries. "God _dammit_ Raye, shut the_ hell _up!" Lily felt   
her stomach drop a notch. _Raye_.... 

"You are!" 

Raye began to cry, loudly and painfully, as more brutal sounds of hair ripping and wooden   
furniture scraping across the ground escaped from the door. "I am_ not _ruling over you! I lay down   
the law, for your _own good_, and look what you go and _do_, letting yourself be twisted and warped   
by this vermin –" 

"She's not _vermin_, Walden!" she sobbed, the sounds stopping for a moment, her voice   
filled with a fear Lily had never felt before. "She's not like them...." 

"How do you know?" snarled the male's voice. "How do you know?" 

"Don't you think I _would_? She's just my_ friend_! That's all! Why can't you accept that?!"   
As her voice faded, guilt began to circulate through Lily's body like poison._ Was this all over her_? 

"You don't understand!" 

"I understand better than you think!" she roared. "I –" She never finished. She was cut off   
with another long, piercing scream. Lily felt Raye's body make contact with the door, and she   
almost cried out. The screaming stopped. The yelling stopped. The scraping of furniture stopped. 

There was blood beneath the door. 

Lily was shaking madly, her heart pounding in her throat. _She had to get out of here...._   
_She had to run_.... 

She ran. 

- 

"Feels good to get out of there." 

"Dull, History of Magic, isn't it?" 

"Yes, very." 

"Lily looks overwhelmed. You don't think she actually sat through it and _listened_, do   
you?" 

"I dunno...." 

The four boys kept to themselves as the mob of Gryffindors made their way up to the   
Tower, not daring to attempt conversation with Lily. She had been rather reserved the whole   
lesson, and hadn't laughed even a bit when Sirius had slipped a dung bomb down the back of   
Kathryn's robes. Anne had tried to make conversation with her after class, but had failed, and left   
to complain about her to Kathryn and Paris, her face red. 

"Orange Marmalade," Lily muttered as she reached the Fat Lady, who swung open with a   
slight scowl on her face. 

"In you go, dearie." 

Lily swept herself in, making no pit stops and heading straight to the girls' staircase. She   
hesitated for a moment as Remus called out her name. 

"Lily!" he called. "You want to stay for a game of chess?" Remus was now holding a   
chess box under his arm, a welcoming smile on his face. Lily's face brightened a bit, a smile of her   
own flitting across her features. He was such a sweetheart. But she just wasn't in the mood for   
games. She shook her head politely and continued up the stairs. As soon as she'd entered the   
dormitory, she collapsed upon her scarlet four poster and erupted into salty tears. 

"You alright, honey?" asked Paris as she entered, Kathryn looped around one arm, Anne   
biting her nails behind her. Lily choked down her sobs, staring determinedly at the ceiling. Paris   
brushed a strand of deep bronze hair out of her face, pacing over next to Lily and sitting on her   
night stand, wrinkling a piece of parchment which had been there first. "What's the matter?" 

"Nothing," lied Lily, eyes still red, rolling over on her side so the other girls couldn't see   
her._ I don't need this_.... 

Kathryn was still icy towards Lily after the dung bomb incident (girls have no sense, and   
as Lily could tolerate the one who dropped the dung bomb down her robes, she was reluctant to   
comfort her). Anne, however, was the closest to Lily, and she felt for her. Sweeping over to Lily,   
she placed a hand on her shoulder, grasping firmly, which only made Lily sputter. 

"Lily... please... if there's something wrong, we can help...." 

Lily was tempted to crawl over and cry all over Anne's shoulder, break down completely,   
and be comforted like a child, but she didn't think Paris or Kathryn would understand. They didn't   
understand anything about her. There was an un suppressible hate filling in her, for no reason at   
all. It was the rage that had been bottled up inside of her. 

"There's not," Lily finally spat out. Anne frowned. "There's nothing you can do to help."   
She bolted up, knocking Anne out of the way, pausing only briefly at the doorway. 

"Oh. And Kathryn." She glanced over to her, face caked in tears. "I'm sorry about what   
Sirius did. I'll hit him for you." Then she turned and left, leaving Anne on the ground and Kathryn   
feeling very miserable. 

"I – I didn't mean to –" 

"I know," said Anne comfortingly, smiling at Kathryn. "I know you didn't." 

Kathryn sighed. "I do hope that poor thing feels better." 

– 

"Good heavens – is that Lily?" asked James, looking up from the chess game. Sirius   
glanced up as well. 

"Yeah... bloody hell, look at her! She's crying!" 

"You think we should go over and –" Remus started, but never finished, because James   
had already leapt up and strode over to her. Remus put his head in his hands. "Idiot." 

"Hey, Lily!" called James, trotting over to her. She looked up quickly, her eyes wide, then   
tried to turn and run, but he was swifter and tackled her, pinning her to the ground. He grinned.   
"Gotcha." 

Lily looked worse up close. As you know – if you've ever cried before, which surely you   
have – people who have just been crying are not the most attractive of people. Lily's nose was   
red, and her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. She glued her eyes shut and shook her head, trying   
to force James off of her. "Crikey, get _off!_" she roared, struggling wildly. Fearing for his own well   
being, James obeyed. 

"Lily, are you alright?" he asked, trying a more subtle approach to the situation. Lily   
opened her eyes and gave him a puffy stare, which looked quite comical. James snorted. 

"And _what_ is so funny?" she demanded, flicking him between the eyes, very ill tempered.   
James drew back, looking as though he were afraid she might jump out and bite him. 

"Nothing. I'm just wondering what's wrong." 

"Well it's none of your business," she huffed, crossing her arms and seating herself in a   
high backed armchair, turning it so that its back was facing the four boys. They all exchanged   
glances. Then they sat in silence, waiting for.... 

"Alright," she snarled finally, as if the four of them had just squeezed it out of her. "Come   
here, Sirius." 

Sirius bounded up quickly, feeling as you might if you'd just been elected Homecoming   
Queen or Class President. The other three were sending him up looks of loathing from their   
chairs. "_It's just 'cause she thinks he looks hot in his boxers_," James hissed bitterly to Remus,   
who chuckled and grinned widely at Sirius. 

"Does she really?" he asked Peter, as he hadn't been there the morn of the boxer incident.   
Peter shifted his eyes and stared at Sirius, who was halfway across the room, making sure he   
wasn't in earshot. 

"Neither of them will admit to it," he said casually, his voice a bit squeaky with the   
thought. "But she does. She always gets that way around him. It's really no fun. Her, always so   
fixed onto him. For all she cared, we might be dead, and she wouldn't notice, as long as she had   
her arm hooked in Sirius'." 

"That's not really fair, Peter," Remus said slowly, now eyeing Lily. "What's wrong with   
her having a little crush?" 

"It's embarrassing to watch," James said darkly, who was crossing his arms and looking   
very sullen. "And she looks at him like he's a piece of meat." Remus raised his eyebrows at   
James' sudden change of expression, but his face gradually broke into a smile. 

"Jealous?" 

"Of what?" 

"You'd rather have her looking at _you_ like a piece of meat, wouldn't you?" 

James caught on, and went puce. He whirled up and pointed his finger testily between   
Remus' eyes, launching, "Listen, Lupin, I don't think –" 

Peter kicked him. James shut up. He turned around. There was Sirius, looking very pale.   
Lily was exiting the Common Room into the main of Hogwarts. "What is it?" Peter asked softly,   
the expression on Sirius' face most unlike him. 

"It's Raye." 

– 

Transfiguration was quiet the next day. Lily was as solemn as ever. Anne was still, afraid   
that in her misunderstanding she might offend Lily. Kathryn was quiet because she felt she owed   
Lily one, and Paris was because she no longer had anyone to talk to. All four Gryffindor boys   
were motionless, because Sirius was grim and pale, and no one had the heart to do anything rash   
that would make him feel worse. They didn't want to see him angry, and they _certainly_ didn't   
want to see him cry (well, perhaps James, but he was separate entirely). The Slytherin girls were   
congregating quietly in their row, and their whispers were dry and harsh. Raye sat in the middle.   
The only ones who were talking properly at all were the Slytherin boys, Severus the loudest of all,   
and as he sat next to Sirius, he was taking great joy in laughing and smirking at him. 

James was losing patience, glaring at Snape, and then turning with a softened expression   
to poor Sirius, who was taking in everything Severus said without recoil. He gave a last, long   
glare to Snape. Bastard. But he found it hard to watch Sirius being bullied, when he so often had   
the upper hand. Teasing someone is a dreadful sin, but teasing someone when they're already   
teetering on the verge of insanity... it made James sick. He pulled his gaze away from the two   
boys, glancing over to his other side. 

Lily looked almost as bad as Sirius. Maybe worse. But Lily was better at hiding her   
emotions. Not that it was saying very much. Sirius wore his emotions right on his sleeve. It wasn't   
hard to top that. 

"Here," he attempted, digging his hand into his bag. Lily looked up, startled. 

"Huh?" 

James withdrew a handful of galleons and shoved them on her desk. "Here. It's the money   
I promised you for Snape. See if it cheers you up any." Lily's eyes were wide. 

"That's a lot of money, James," she started slowly. "I mean... for something... like this,   
I...." 

"It's alright," James assured her with a smile. Lily let herself share one. James' smile was   
almost as handsome as Sirius'. Lily laughed, cupping her hand over her mouth. 

"Well...." She stuffed the coins casually into her bag, beaming. "Thank you." 

"S'alright." But James was already feeling as though his heart had shed a couple of   
pounds. If only he had a way to cheer up Sirius as well.... 

- 

James shifted his eyes across the hallway. Sirius was chatting with Remus... good...   
Peter... James laughed. Attempting conversation with Raye. He hadn't made a very good   
impression on her... he assumed Peter was trying out an apology. Probably failing. But what he   
needed... ah. Lily. Alone. That was good. Well, not good, really, but he _did _need her alone.   
"Lily!" 

She turned, one eyebrow raised, a half smile on her lips. "Again?" 

"Yes, again." He raced over to her, pinning her up against a wall. 

"You aren't going to kiss me, are you?" 

"Wouldn't dream of it," he responded airily, but he did let go of her. "I need your help." 

Lily laughed raspily. "Oh? _Now_ who needs _whose_ help?" 

"I need help cheering up Sirius." 

"Do you? Ironic...." 

"Cut the cynicism. I just need to know something : who was responsible for Raye's   
thrashing?" 

Lily's face fell, and James was afraid for a moment that he'd foiled his own attempts at   
comforting the two of them. "Her brother," Lily said softly. "Walden McNair." Her eyes went a   
little red, so James quickly got behind her and gave her a brotherly squeeze. 

"Okay then. I just need to make him pay." 

Lily shook her head, her face pale. "Oh no, James, you can't! I heard what he did to   
Raye... he's strong... he's really powerful. He could kill you if he wanted to, James, he could –" 

"Only if he could catch me," James sang, eyes twinkling. Lily hung her head, grinning. 

"It's your funeral." 

"I'm doing it for Sirius, Lily." 

"I know. You're a good friend." 

"Really? You think so?" 

"No. But I want to say something nice to you before you get slaughtered." 

"Oh." James laughed. "That's sweet." 

"Good luck!" Lily called as he skipped off. Then, slightly louder, "You'll need it!" 

- 

James crept silently up behind Remus and Sirius, advancing, and pouncing on Sirius' back.   
Remus watched with a cocked brow as he and James tumbled to the ground. "Hmm," Remus   
began crisply. "I should have known an intelligent conversation with Sirius was too good to be   
true." Then, in a kinder tone to James, "What do you want?" 

"Sirius," James said quickly, brushing off the dirt he'd collected form rolling across the   
floor. Remus pretended to look hurt. 

"And not me?" 

"Well, maybe you...." 

"Oh goody!" exclaimed Remus, lacing his fingers together. "What it is?" James rose and   
pointed. Remus and Sirius turned. A group of fifth year Slytherins were exiting out of a   
classroom. Remus rose his eyebrows. "Yeah? So?" 

"You wouldn't understand," said James quickly, shaking his head. "But Sirius might.   
Look closer, Sirius. That boy... the really tall one... with the black hair... and the...   
strong...forearms...." James gulped. Was this really worth it? 

Sirius narrowed his eyes, lips pursed. "I don't – oh –" his eyes got wider "-- Oh god, he –   
is he?" 

"Walden McNair," James said, and Sirius' expression went stone cold. Remus looked   
curious. 

"Who's he?" 

Sirius opened his mouth ever so slightly, and with a steely note, without so much as   
turning around, he responded to Remus, "Raye's brother." 

"Oh." Remus put his eyes to the ground, a bit scared to make eye contact with Sirius. He   
was looking murderous. "But James – what about him?" 

James, however, was_ not_ looking bitter as Sirius did. In fact, to Remus' great surprise,   
James was smiling. "I thought it might be fun... to make him feel the pain that his darling sister   
did." Remus suddenly took the expression of the bossy girl or boy in your elementary school class   
who refuses to cheat on tests, copy homework, or pee standing up. 

"James, you can't hurt him! You'll get in trouble, and he'll pummel you to the ground...!" 

"Oh, _really_, you're just like Lily." 

"Is that bad?" 

"Well, for one, she's a _girl._." 

"Is that bad?" 

James heaved his shoulders, tittering hopelessly at Remus. "Oh, be quiet, Remus, and   
watch a master at work...." Remus brought his hands to his mouth, looking horrified. Sirius   
looked surprised but gratified, and an adventurous smile was beginning to weave across his lips.   
James took out his wand and twirled it around with show, at last muttering something   
indistinguishable under his breath. Thus, it was very much a surprise when a jet of great blue light   
burst from James' wand, and a moment later, Walden McNair was rooted on the spot with his   
head ablaze in blue flame. 

McNair was screaming wildly, and so was Remus. He was red in the face and so infuriated   
that he was tearing. Sirius was laughing out loud, roaring and pounding his fists on the ground.   
Peter had grabbed Raye in fear, and Raye looked in awe at James, as though there was something   
about him she had never seen before. It was awhile before anyone even noticed Lily. She jumped   
out of the crowd with her wand out, using more sense than all the rest of the panicking crowd put   
together. 

"Move _over_!" Lily screamed at the fifth years, setting herself in front of McNair and   
waving her wand at him. 

It was as though a huge water balloon had been burst over his head. His face was soaking,   
and water was dripping off the end of his pointed nose. His hair had stopped flaming, but it had all   
been badly singed or else burnt off completely. He looked extremely irritated. Lily hadn't noticed.   
She was smiling, looking pleased with herself. "There! Now it's all –" 

But Walden didn't wait for her to finish. He was filled with rage, and had to let it out on   
the nearest thing that breathed oxygen. That happened to be Lily. With a deep growl, he'd   
slapped Lily so hard across the face that she fell so the ground and slid two feet, wild-eyed and   
red-faced. Both were breathing very hard. 

"_LILY_!" screamed Remus and Peter, but James and Sirius had had more than enough.   
With quick glances towards one another, they lunged at McNair and had him down on the   
ground, each beating his face into the floor. It was an unfair advantage on their part, but they   
couldn't help it. Poor Lily had almost had the brains knocked out of her, and someone was gonna   
get the snot beat out of – 

"POTTER! BLACK!" 

James and Sirius held their fists. To their dismay, McGonagall was striding across the hall,   
her eyes no more than slits of fury. Both of the first years went chalk white. 

"I've _never _been so ashamed in my whole life! Two_ first year_ boys_ attacking_ a fifth year!   
Explain yourselves _immediately_!" 

James cast around for something to say. He might argue that McNair had hit Lily... but did   
he know that James was the one who had set fire to him? James took his chances. "McNair   
clobbered Lily, Professor," James squeaked, casting his glance over to Lily, who was still looking   
pained, and now looking fearful. McGonagall stared. 

"Is this true?" she asked McNair sternly, with a very steely note in her voice. He crumpled   
under her stare. Professor McGonagall threw her head back in dismay, suppressing the growl that   
was lodged in her throat. "All of you!" She glared at all three of the boys, who were each sporting   
a different injury. "Fifty points from Slytherin for attacking Miss Evans. Twenty from Gryffindor   
for pursuing the matter. Detentions will be arranged. Now_ get_," she added in a whisper, but   
everyone in the hall heard. As soon as she'd turned on her heel and left, McNair grabbed James by   
his collar. 

"_You're dead, Potter_," he hissed. "_You and your friend. Don't forget it_." Then, letting go   
of James, he darted off through the hallways and out of sight. As soon as he was out of earshot,   
Lily, Raye, Remus and Peter all jumped on the two boys, still sprawled out across the ground. 

"You're idiots, you're both mad, I told you –" 

"That fire was ingenious! Really catchy –" 

"You beat him for me! You're both such sweethearts!" 

But Raye remained silent. She was smiling very softly at James and Sirius. Slowly, she   
reached out and clutched James' hand. 

"That was... really brave, James," she said quietly. "Really stupid, too, but...." She   
grinned. "Thank you." James was beet red. Raye turned to Sirius. "And you. For helping him   
out... and getting Walden back for hitting Lily... I'd never have done it. No one would. You two   
are... something else. I really hope he doesn't murder you two. I'm now quite fond of you." Then   
she bent over and kissed each of them, but in Sirius' ear she whispered, "_By the way... that one_   
_was for real_." Then, daintily, she stood up and walked off in the same direction as her brother. 

Sirius sat flabbergasted on the ground. James was standing up. Lily had dragged him away   
from the crowd, smiling prettily at him. 

"You know, James...." 

"Nope." 

"I think you did a good job with Sirius." 

"Praise from Miss Evans. That's rare." 

"It is." Then, looking as though she might cry, she threw herself on him and embraced him   
so tightly he thought he might suffocate, she sobbed, "You really _are_ a good person! Oh please,   
don't ever do that again, I was so afraid you might –" 

"Jesus, Lily, let go of the guy!" laughed Remus, who, along with Peter and Sirius, had   
come over to see what all the fuss was about. Lily let go with a smile, tears all down her cheeks. 

"I'm sorry, I –" 

"LILY!" 

Anne, Paris, and Kathryn had all come bolting at her, squeezing her into a very lopsided   
group hug, and for the next five minutes it was only squealing and crying from the girls. The four   
boys looked terrified. 

"Well," said Remus, brushing himself off and regaining composure as the four walked   
back to Gryffindor Tower. "I hope you're happy." 

"It really was cool," Peter beamed. "The fire. And the pummeling. Very suave." Remus   
raised an eyebrow, but Sirius was next to butt in. 

"Of course it was! And he's not so tough to crack. Once you get a few in around his jaw   
–" 

"_Really_?" started Remus with a sly grin. "Because it looks like he got _you_ around the jaw   
too." He smiled at Sirius' bleeding lip. 

"Well, maybe he did get a_ few_ –" 

James was quiet. He didn't need words. Raye was off the hook for the time being, at least.   
She could go back to being her slimy Slytherin self. And Lily was taken with him now. That was   
good. His friends... all back to normal. Sirius... fine. He'd needed this. There was a great weight   
lifted off James' chest. Pacifiers... they're always the cute ones. Even when their nose is leaking   
blood all down their front. 

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*   
Wow. ::choke:: That's so sugar sweet it makes me wanna hurl. ::stifles a sob:: 

BUT ANYWAY! 

Was that too much Raye? I was reading it over, and like... the whole thing... was about that little git. I honestly   
didn't mean to make that happen! Seriously, by the end, _I _was sick of Raye. Lol. ^^;; ::meep:: I shudder to think   
what is circulating through the minds of my audience... 

::crickets:: 

Well. You could be a tad more enthusiastic than THAT. ::dodges flying tomatoes and empty cans:: 

Less enthusiastic. I'll settle for less. 

**A R C H A N G E L**   
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* 


End file.
